Construction inflation. Building costs throughout 2011 rose steadily and although theyâre expected to stabilise during 2012 inflationary pressures are nevertheless set to remain as labour wage strains and competitive labour forces continue to affect input costs.
Physical Properties. Metals differ so widely in hardness, ductility (the potentiality of being drawn into wire), malleability, tensile strength, density, and melting point that a definite line of distinction between them and the nonmetals cannot be drawn. The hardest elemental metal is chromium; the softest, cesium.
The chart below outlines two basic physical properties of metals and non-metals. Metalloids share some of the physical properties of both, so a third property will be used to tell metalloids apart from metals and non-metals. Property Metals Non-Metals Luster High metallic luster (shiny) No metallic luster (dull) Malleability Can be hammered into