Which is the most malleable metal? A. Mercury B. Tin C. Gold D. Aluminum
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: C. Gold
Explanation:
Malleability is a physical property of metals that describes their ability to be hammered, pressed, or rolled into thin sheets without breaking or cracking. This property is due to the ability of metal atoms to slide over each other within a metallic lattice without losing cohesion. Among all metals, gold (Au) is recognized as the most malleable.
Gold is so malleable that just 1 gram of gold can be beaten into a sheet of 1 square meter, and it can be made so thin that it becomes translucent. This exceptional malleability is one of the reasons why gold has been used for thousands of years in jewelry, coinage, and decorative arts. In addition to being malleable, gold is also ductile, meaning it can be drawn into very thin wires.
The reason gold is more malleable than other metals lies in its atomic structure and the nature of metallic bonding. Gold atoms are relatively large and heavy, and the metallic bonds between them are strong yet flexible. This allows gold atoms to shift past each other without breaking the overall structure of the metal. Additionally, gold’s high atomic number contributes to a phenomenon called relativistic effects, which affect its electron cloud and contribute to its unique properties, including its color and malleability.
Let’s compare it with the other options:
- A. Mercury is a liquid at room temperature and lacks a crystalline solid structure, so it is not malleable in the conventional sense.
- B. Tin is malleable but far less so than gold.
- D. Aluminum is quite malleable and widely used in foil and packaging, but it is still not as malleable as gold.
Therefore, gold is the most malleable metal, making C the correct answer.
