Who this is for: Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Science (0654) students who want properties of metals — conductivity, malleability and the metallic bonding behind them — to become reliable marks instead of a memorised bullet list.
What query it owns: how to understand and revise properties of metals in Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Science.
Why this is safe: this page owns the properties-of-metals revision-guide angle, while Tutopiya’s Properties Of Metals subtopic page owns the learning resource and the free Properties Of Metals quiz owns the practice.

Metals make up much of the periodic table and share a distinctive set of physical properties. Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Science (0654) expects you to state and explain metal properties — good conductors of heat and electricity, malleable, ductile, lustrous, sonorous and generally high melting points — linking them to the structure of metallic bonding. This guide covers the syllabus list, comparison with non-metals, and the question types examiners use every year.

Key takeaways

• Metals have a giant metallic lattice of positive ions in a sea of delocalised electrons.
• Delocalised electrons carry charge and energy → good electrical and thermal conductors.
• Malleable (hammered into sheets) and ductile (drawn into wires) because layers of ions can slide without breaking the bond.
• Metals are lustrous (shiny), sonorous (ring when struck) and generally have high melting points and high density.
• Alloys are mixtures of metals (or metal + non-metal) with improved properties — harder than pure metals.

What are properties of metals in Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Science?

Properties of metals covers the physical characteristics shared by most metals and the metallic bonding model that explains them. Positive metal ions sit in a regular lattice surrounded by delocalised electrons that move freely. Examiners test property lists, explain links to structure, and comparisons with non-metals and alloys.

You can read the full explanation, diagrams and notes on Tutopiya’s Properties Of Metals subtopic page before you attempt questions.

The core ideas you must master

Idea	What it means	How the exam uses it
Delocalised electrons	Outer electrons free to move through lattice	”Explain why metals conduct electricity.”
Malleability	Can be hammered into shape	”Explain why metals are malleable.”
Ductility	Can be drawn into wires	”State a property that makes copper suitable for wiring.”
High melting point	Strong metallic bonding	”Compare melting points of metals and non-metals.”
Alloys	Mixture with different-sized atoms	”Explain why alloys are harder than pure metals.”

Key physical properties of metals

Property	Definition	Example / use
Electrical conductor	Charge flows easily	Copper in electrical wires
Thermal conductor	Heat transfers easily	Aluminium saucepans
Malleable	Hammered into sheets	Aluminium foil
Ductile	Drawn into wires	Copper wiring
Lustrous	Shiny surface when polished	Jewellery, decorative metal
Sonorous	Rings when struck	School bell (bronze)
High melting point	Strong bonding	Steel structures at high temperature
High density	Heavy for their size	Lead, iron

Metals vs non-metals — comparison table

Property	Metals	Non-metals (typical)
Electrical conductivity	Good conductors	Poor conductors (except graphite)
Thermal conductivity	Good	Poor
Malleability / ductility	Yes	Brittle (solids)
Melting point	Generally high	Generally low
Oxides	Basic	Acidic
Electron behaviour	Lose electrons → cations	Gain/share electrons

Properties of metals in past-paper wording: command words that matter

Command word / phrase	What the question wants	Typical properties of metals stem
State	Name a property	”State two physical properties of metals.”
Explain	Link to metallic structure	”Explain why metals conduct electricity.”
Describe	Structure of metallic bonding	”Describe the structure of a metal.”
Compare	Metal vs non-metal or alloy	”Compare a metal with a non-metal.”
Suggest a use	Property → application	”Suggest why copper is used for wiring.”

Worked exam-style stems (how to answer the wording)

1. “Explain why metals are good conductors of electricity.” Metals contain delocalised electrons that are free to move and carry charge through the structure when a potential difference is applied. Mark-scheme reward: delocalised electrons + free to move + carry charge.
2. “Explain why metals are malleable.” Layers of positive ions can slide over each other when a force is applied, but delocalised electrons continue to hold the structure together. Reward: layers slide + delocalised electrons maintain bonding.
3. “Explain why brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) is harder than pure copper.” Different-sized atoms in the alloy distort the regular lattice, making it harder for layers to slide past each other. Reward: different-sized atoms + layers cannot slide easily + harder.

Test yourself with the Properties Of Metals quiz.

How properties of metals connect to the rest of Coordinated Science chemistry

Properties of metals link to Transition Elements, the Reactivity Series and Uses of Metals. The Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Science resource hub links every Chemistry subtopic.

Common mistakes students make

• Explaining conductivity without mentioning delocalised electrons.
• Confusing malleable (sheets) with ductile (wires).
• Stating metals are poor conductors (they are good conductors).
• Saying ions move to carry charge in a metal (it is electrons that move).
• Forgetting alloys are harder because different-sized atoms disrupt the lattice.

When you need more support

If properties-of-metals questions keep costing marks, work through the Properties Of Metals quiz, then get focused help from a Cambridge IGCSE Coordinated Science tutor.

Frequently asked questions

What is metallic bonding? A giant lattice of positive metal ions held together by a sea of delocalised electrons moving between them.

Why are metals malleable and ductile? Layers of ions can slide over each other without breaking the metallic bond because delocalised electrons still hold the structure together.

What is an alloy? A mixture of a metal with one or more other elements (usually metals) that often has improved properties such as greater hardness.

How do I revise properties of metals effectively? Learn the property list, metallic bonding diagram, alloy explanation, then take the Properties Of Metals quiz.

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