Metallic Character

Definition: The chemical properties associated with elements classed as metals.

Properties:
- to easily lose electrons
- to form positive ions (cations)
- to have ionic halides, ionic hydrides containing the H- ion
- to have basic oxides.
- to have little valence electrons.
Metallic character decreases as one moves across a period from left to right in the
periodic table. Elements to the left have a pronounced metallic character while
those to the right have a non-metallic character. Conversely, non-metallic character
increases from left to right.
Metallic character increases down each Group of the Table as there is a decrease
of ionization energy (minimum energy required to remove one electron) from top to
bottom.
Trend-wise, as one moves from left to right across a period in the periodic table, the
electronegativity increases due to the stronger attraction that the atoms obtain as
the nuclear charge increases. Moving down a group, the electronegativity
decreases due to the longer distance between the nucleus and the valence electron
shell, thereby decreasing the attraction, making the atom have less of an attraction
for electrons or protons.