TYPES OF METALS
Name of Metal Characteristics
Most common metal used,
made mostly from iron,
STEEL
very strong, does not bend
easily, dark gray color
Same as steel, but
chromium is added to
STAINLESS STEEL
make it corrosion resistant
(won’t rust), silver color
Soft, bendable, lightweight,
ALUMINUM strong, non-corroding, light
silver color
Very soft, bendable, very
high electrical and heat
conductivity, reddish-
COPPER
brown color, oxidizes with
exposure to air (making it
green!)
Mixture of copper and
aluminum (and tin), slightly
BRONZE
bendable, gold/yellow
color
Very strong, hard, non-
magnetic, doesn’t corrode,
TITANIUM dark silver in color, poor
conductor of heat and
electricity
Combination of the above
metals that take the best
ALLOYS
characteristics of each
(many types)
metal to make an even
stronger metal
Blended polymers, ranges
from soft to hard, generally
PLASTIC
doesn’t conduct heat;
(not metal)
includes nylon, rubber,
plastic, Teflon, etc.
Positives
Mass-produced because it
can be made cheaply, very
strong
Will not rust, very strong,
clean surface does not
hold germs
Cheap to make, will not
rust, lightweight, easily
recyclable
Best material to conduct
heat or electricity
Very low metal-to-metal
friction
Will not rust, the highest
strength-to-weight ratio of
any metal
Super strong or strong and
won’t rust or strong and
conducts heat
Easily moldable into
various shapes, cheap to
make, easily recyclable,
won’t rust, lasts forever
Negatives Common Uses
Oxidizes with exposure to Skyscrapers, bulldozers,
water (Rusts if left hammers, trains, railroads,
unprotected) stadiums
Pots & pans, forks &
knives, surgical
Expensive to make instruments, dental
instruments (plus the St.
Louis Arch!)
Aluminum foil, baseball
Soft, melts at low
bats, airplanes, street light
temperature
poles, gutters
Electrical wires, plumbing
Soft, very expensive,
lines (plus the outside of
oxidizes in air
the Statue of Liberty!)
Expensive to make, Sculptures, bells, Olympic
slightly soft medals, cymbals
Jet engines, missiles,
Very expensive to make, implants, prostheses,
unstable aircraft carriers,
submarines
Made for a particular use,
Space shuttle, rockets,
which might make it
tanks
expensive
Toys, bottles, food
Not as strong as metal
packaging, tires, gutters