Some characteristics of metals are:
•good conductors of heat
•good conductors of electricity
•ductile (can be drawn into wires)
•malleable (can be hammered)
•high tensile strength
usually lustrous/shiny
•atoms of most metals have few electrons in their outer energy level
most metals are solid at room temperature (an exception is mercury)
•insoluble in water unless they react e.g sodium, lithium etc
they lose electrons when they react