Metals Vocabulary

Alloy – a metal that is made by mixing two or more metals, or a metal and another substance.

Sentence – The latest model features alloy wheels and an electronic alarm.

Aluminum – a chemical element that is a light, silver-colored metal, used especially for making cooking equipment and aircraft parts

Sentence –   Cut four sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil into 8-inch squares.

Antimony –  a chemical element that is a silver-white, poisonous metal. It is hard but easily broken and is used to make other metals harder and stronger and to make  semiconductors for computers.

Sentence –  Antimony also increases tensile strength but decreases cross section sensitivity of vermiculate cast iron

Brass – a bright yellow metal made from copper and zinc.

Sentence –  The main orchestral brass instruments are the horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba.

Bronze – a brown metal made of copper and tin.

 Sentence –  He got a bronze in the high jump.

Chrome –  a hard, shiny metal that is an alloy of chromium and other metals.

Sentence –  Early on it was a chrome stool and burger joint.

Chromium – a chemical element that is a hard, blue-grey metal, used in combination with other metals to make chrome.

Sentence –  High levels of cadmium, lead and chromium were also found in  sediment in the Dogger Bank.

Copper – a chemical element that is a reddish-brown metal, used especially for making wire and coins.

Sentence –  Copper has less resistance to electricity than lead.

Cupronickel – an alloy (= mixture) of copper and nickel and other metals that is used in making coins in many countries.

Sentence –  It eliminates the yellowing defects of cupronickel strip by improving the grinding process.

Gold – a chemical element that is a valuable, shiny, yellow metal used to make coins and jewellery

Sentence –  Better without gold than without friend. 

Gunmetal – a grey corrosion-resistant form of bronze containing zinc.

Sentence –  Nowadays badges are stamped out of gunmetal.

Iridium – a very hard yellowish-white metal.

Sentence – Iridium satellites are unusual because their orbit is so low and they move so fast.

Iron – a chemical element that is a common greyish-coloured metal. It is strong, used in making steel, and exists in very small amounts in blood.

Sentence –  Iron exposed to damp air will rust.

Lead – to control a group of people, a country, or a situation.

Sentence –  Lead and tin are malleable metals

Magnesium – a chemical element that is a silver-white metal.

Sentence –  Magnesium burns very brightly and is used in making fireworks.

Mercury –  a chemical element that is a heavy, silver coloured metal, liquid at normal temperatures.

Sentence –  The liquid we can see in thermometers is mercury.

Metal – a chemical element, such as iron or gold, or a mixture of such elements, such as steel, that is generally hard and strong, and through which electricity and heat can travel.

Sentence –  This metal net filters out the dirt.

Pewter – a bluish-grey metal that is a mixture of tin and lead.

Sentence –  In the museum we saw pewter plates.

Platinum – a chemical element that is an extremely valuable silver-coloured metal, used in jewellery and in industry.

Sentence –  Broken Hill has a large new platinum mine there.

Silver – a chemical element that is a valuable shiny, white metal, used for making cutlery (= knives, spoons, etc.), jewellery, coins, and decorative objects.

Sentence –  We can distinguish between gold and silver.

Stainless Steel – a type of steel containing chromium that is not damaged by air or water and does not change its colour.

Sentence – Inset single drainer stainless steel sink unit with mixer taps over.

Steel – a strong metal that is a mixture of iron and carbon, used for making things that need a  strong  structure,  especially  vehicles and buildings.

Sentence –  This type of sheet steel could stand high pressure.

Tin – a chemical element that is a silver-coloured metal, often combined with other metals or used to  cover  and protect other metals.

Sentence –  You can only open a tin of food with a tin opener.

Titanium –  a chemical element that is a light, strong, white metal.

Sentence –  Titanium is used as a lightweight element in aircraft and other military vehicles.

Tungsten – a chemical element that is a hard metal used in making light bulbs and strong types of steel.

Sentence – These are simple combinations of metals like chromium, tungsten, iron or nickel, with carbon monoxide

Uranium – a chemical element that is a heavy, radioactive metal, used in the production of nuclear power and in some types of nuclear weapon.

Sentence –  As the uranium reacts its radioactivity produces unstable atoms.

Yellow Gold –  made of pure gold mixed with alloy metals such as copper and zinc.

Sentence –  In its upper right corner, where it belonged, a postage stamp had been etched in the yellow gold.

Zinc – a chemical element that is a bluish-white metal, used in making other metals or for covering other metals to protect them.

Sentence –  These include lead and antimony, nickel, manganese and zinc, and bismuth and iron.