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Flexibility is not a material property, as it is ambiguous. It can either refer to the elasticity (ability to bend without permanent deformation) or the plasticity (ability to bend without breaking) of the material.
I'll assume you're asking for the metal that will most easily bend at all. Assuming that the application is at STP, I'd have to guess Barium due to it's placement on the Periodic Table and formation of a BCC crystal structure at STP (info is on my periodic table for Material Scientists and Engineers: http://new.ametek.com/content-manager/file/EDX/Periodic%20Desk%20Mat.pdf). Radium would be another good guess, but I know that it is not stable at STP.
The reason behind this guess is mainly due to the fact that atoms that are farther down and to the left on the periodic table are larger in size. Coupled with a BCC structure, which has the greatest number of slip systems (planes of which dislocation motion can occur), means that the material will readily bend.
Wikipedia shows the Young's Modulus for Barium to be 13 GPa. That is very, very low for a metal, and may in fact be the lowest.
Sources: Degree in Material Science and Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Previous answer: I think the answer is gold. Its very malleable [incorrect usage: malleability refers to a materials ability to resist fracture under compression only.], people used to bite down on gold coins to see if they were counterfeit. Gold is malleable enough to be marked, if the coin was made of anything else, it wouldn't have a bite mark.
However, Mercury is liquid at room temperature, and that's DEFINITELY flexible. I don't think that would be considered. [Liquid does not have elasticity or plasticity; it instead has viscosity. As such, mercury does not poses a property of physical flexibility.]
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoNo. Rigidity and Flexibility are both opposite properties of materials. A flexible material undergoes elastic and plastic deformations under external forces; but rigid materials will not deform under external forces.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoEvery metal is flexible and can take any shape. However, flexibility of metals depend on their nature , size and thickness.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agogold, its the strongest metal and it is flexible.......it will just take a crap ton of weight to make it bend
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoCopper.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoyes
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Are non-metals flexible?
No, non-metals are not malleable simply because of the way the atoms are arranged. In metals the atoms are arranged so they will just slide past each other but in non-metals the atoms are arranged differently so they on't just slide past each other.
When an engineer is making a mixture of metals to make steel for the frame of a building what two properties should the steel have?
strong and slightly flexible
Why metals are flexible?
The formation of metallic bonds causes them to be flexible and strong. Metallic bonds become strong because positive and negative charged electrons have a strong force of attraction. Metallic bonds are flexible because of their malleability.
Is platinum malleable?
Platinum is a very flexible metal. The tensile stregth is 120-240MPa.
What is the least flexible metallic element?
Potassium and sodium are considered to be the least ductile metals. Gold and platinum on the other hand are the most ductile metals.
Are metals flexible?
Depends on what shape they are manufactured in. E.g. springs, which are very flexible.
Are non-metals flexible?
No, non-metals are not malleable simply because of the way the atoms are arranged. In metals the atoms are arranged so they will just slide past each other but in non-metals the atoms are arranged differently so they on't just slide past each other.
What is a good website to compare non-metals and metals?
Metals have a characteristic silvery, shiny appearance, they are electrically conductive, flexible (except for mercury which is liquid), and they engage in chemical reactions in which they are electron donors, forming positive ions. Non-metals are less shiny, generally not good electrical conductors, not as flexible, and they engage in chemical reactions in which they receive electrons, forming negative ions. Some non-metals such as carbon can either give or receive electrons, but even when they give electrons they do not do so as readily as metals do.
Are nonmentals mealleable?
no. they may be workable or flexible but the term isn't malleable. malleability is a term only used in reference to metals.
Is lithium flexible?
Like all group one metals, lithium is a relatively soft metal, easily scratched and bent. Thus, it would qualify as flexible. But touching lithium or, even worse, any of the heavier group one metals with bare hands would result in reaction of the metal with slight amounts of water on your hands, creating immense heat, and in the case of the heavier metals, a hydrogen explosion.
When an engineer is making a mixture of metals to make steel for the frame of a building what two properties should the steel have?
strong and slightly flexible
Why metals are flexible?
The formation of metallic bonds causes them to be flexible and strong. Metallic bonds become strong because positive and negative charged electrons have a strong force of attraction. Metallic bonds are flexible because of their malleability.
How come some magnets look plastic and are flexible?
Magnets are made from iron, nickel, and cobalt. Cobalt is a bit more flexible than the other two, which are very hard metals. It could also be an alloy of the three, but I don't know about that.
Why is carbon reduction method applied in many metallurgical process?
High carbon content causes metals (especially iron) to be brittle. reducing the carbon content in the metals enables them to be more flexible and stronger although it causes them to be softer.
Is platinum malleable?
Platinum is a very flexible metal. The tensile stregth is 120-240MPa.
What are the advantages of an amalgamation?
An amalgamation may mean that you get the best of both, i.e. amalgamating metals means that you may get a stronger but more flexible item. It comes from the word for an alloy containing mercury which on its own is not as useful as when it is combined with other metals!
What metal is flexible?
There are several metals that have a certain span of flexibility. It depends on the purpose the metal is being used for, and the shape the metal takes on. Aluminum, copper, and sterling silver, all have uses that require some flexibility. Springs made of steel can be considered flexible.
