Yes, aluminum is a metal.
Aluminum is the second most abundant metallic element in Earth's crust after silicon, however it is a comparatively new industrial metal that has been produced in commercial quantities for just more than 100 years.
It weighs around one-third as much as steel or copper; is ductile, malleable, and easily machined and cast; and has exceptional corrosion resistance and durability.
Measured either in value or quantity, aluminum's use exceeds that of any other metal except iron, and it is significant in virtually all segments of the world economy.
Some of the many uses for aluminum are in packaging (cans, foil, etc.), transportation (automobiles, airplanes, trucks, railcars, marine vessels, etc.), construction (windows, doors, siding, etc.), consumer durables (appliances, cooking utensils, etc.), electrical transmission lines, machinery, and many other applications.
Aluminum Basic Information:
- Symbol: Al
- Atomic Number: 13
- Atomic Mass: 26.981539 amu
- Melting Point: 660.37 °C (933.52 K, 1220.666 °F)
- Boiling Point: 2467.0 °C (2740.15 K, 4472.6 °F)
- Number of Protons/Electrons: 13
- Number of Neutrons: 14
- Crystal Structure: Cubic
- Density @ 293 K: 2.702 g/cm3
- Color: Silver
- British Spelling: Aluminium
- IUPAC Spelling: Aluminium
Most elements are metals. This group includes the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, basic metals, and rare earth elements. Here's a list of all of metals at Chemistry.about.com.
In buzz, imagine a glass window that's tough like armor, a camera lens that doesn't get scratched in a sand storm, or a smart phone that doesn't break when dropped. Except it's not glass, it's a special ceramic called spinel {spin-ELL} that the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been researching over the last 10 years.
"Spinel is actually a mineral, it's magnesium aluminate," says Dr. Jas Sanghera, who leads the research. "The advantage is it's so much tougher, stronger, harder than glass. It provides better protection in more hostile environments—so it can withstand sand and rain erosion." Read more at Next Big Future.