Hydrogen Metal?
We're familiar with hydrogen as a gas, but hydrogen metal? Could it be that's what hydrogen is? [Artist's conception at right.] There are more than 100 substances listed in the Periodic Table of the Elements. This table is called "periodic" because, although each column is completely different, the properties of one row are very similar to the properties of the next. If you start on the left with an alkali metal, and you go through a row, you go to the next row and another alkali metal. An Anomaly Most of the alkali metals, such as lithium, sodium, and potassium, are very similar. They are soft, reactive, silvery solids. They have one outer electron and conduct electricity. They are easily cut with a knife. But, there is an exception –…