Which of the following is a typical attribute of metals?

• A. Lustrous appearance; good conductor of heat and electricity; can be deformed; solid at room temperature; high melting point; oxidizes.
• B. Metals are non-conductive and brittle at room temperature.
• C. Metals have low melting points and do not oxidize.
• D. Metals are non-lustrous and have poor conductivity.

Answer: (C)

Metals typically exhibit a bundle of recognizable properties: a shiny, lustrous appearance; the ability to conduct heat and electricity well; malleability and ductility so they can be deformed into shapes; most are solid at room temperature with relatively high melting points; and they tend to react with oxygen in the air (oxidize) to form oxides. The option that includes all of these characteristics captures the common metal behavior the question is testing.

This fits because metals are known for their conductivity, both thermal and electrical, and for being workable into wires or sheets without shattering. While there are exceptions (like mercury being liquid at room temperature, or some metals forming protective oxide layers), the overall pattern described is the hallmark of metals.

The other statements misrepresent metal properties: metals are not non-conductive and brittle at room temperature; they often have high melting points and many do oxidize; and they are not non-lustrous with poor conductivity.