Classes of metals Classes of metals Class A metals are metals that form hard acids. Hard acids are acids with relatively ionic bonds. These metals, such as iron, aluminium, titanium, sodium, calcium and the lanthanides, would rather bond with fluorine than iodine. They form stable products with hard bases, which are bases with ionic bonds. They target molecules such as phospholipids, nucleic acids and ATP. Class B metals are metals that form soft acids. Soft acids are acids with relatively covalent bonds. These metals, such as lead, gold, palladium, platinum, mercury and rhodium, would rather bond with iodine than fluorine. They form stable
Period 2 element O, but also O and O. Oxygen is the third-most common element by mass in the universe (although carbon forms more of the atoms it is a lighter atom). It is highly electronegative and non-metallic, usually diatomic, gas down to very low temperatures. Only fluorine is more reactive among non-metallic elements. It is two electrons short of a full octet and readily takes electrons from other elements. It reacts violently with alkali metals and white phosphorus at room temperature and less violently with alkali earth metals heavier than magnesium. At higher temperatures it burns most other metals and many non-metals