Question

The most abundant metal in earth’s crust is:
(a) iron
(b) magnesium
(c) calcium
(d) aluminium

Answer 1

Hint: The metal which is most abundant on earth’s crust has an atomic number 13. This metal, in its sheet form, is used to wrap food items.

Complete step by step answer:
Among the options given in the question, the most abundant metal is aluminium.

1. Aluminium is a metal with chemical formula Al and has atomic number 13. It belongs to the group 13. It is a silvery-white, non-magnetic and ductile metal in the Boron group. It makes up around 8% of earth’s crust and is the \[{{3}^{rd}}\] most abundant element and the most abundant metal.
2. The main ore of aluminium is Bauxite (\[Al{{O}_{x}}{{(OH)}_{3-2x}}\]). Aluminium is a highly reactive metal.
3. Aluminum has a very low density. It has the ability to resist corrosion by reacting with air and forms a film of aluminium oxide. This phenomenon is called passivation. Aluminium and its alloys have applications in the aerospace industry, in transportation and building industries. Sulphates and oxides of aluminium are the most useful compounds of aluminium.
4. Aluminium has only stable isotope \[A{{l}^{27}}\]. It is a mononuclidic element, which means that its standard atomic weight is the same as that of its isotope. Its standard atomic weight is lower than most metals. Other isotopes of aluminium are radioactive.
5. It has an electronic configuration of \[[Ne]3{{s}^{2}}3{{p}^{1}}\]. Many complexes are formed by aluminium. Its usual oxidation state is \[A{{l}^{3+}}\].
6. Aluminium because of its reactivity, it is not found in its elemental state. It usually occurs in its oxides or silicates. A large number of silicates of aluminium are present in earth’s crust. Feldspar is the most common silicate found in earth’s crust. It also occurs as beryl, cryolite, garnet, spinel and turquoise. It is also present in gemstone ruby and sapphire.

Thus, the most abundant metal on earth’s crust is Aluminium.

Note: It is often mistaken that silicon is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. But silicon is a non-metal. Aluminium is a metal. Though silicon is the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust and aluminium is third.