What is most likely to happen to most metals if their temperature is lowered by 200 °C?

• A. They will melt and turn into liquids.
• B. They will become more brittle and less ductile.
• C. They will react vigorously with oxygen.
• D. They will expand significantly in volume.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the physical properties of metals and how temperature affects them. Metals generally have a crystalline structure that becomes more rigid at lower temperatures.
2. Recall that lowering the temperature typically decreases atomic vibrations, making the metal's lattice structure less flexible and more prone to fracture under stress.
3. Recognize that metals do not melt when cooled; instead, melting occurs when temperature increases beyond the melting point, so cooling by 200 °C will not cause melting.
4. Consider the chemical reactivity of metals with oxygen. Lowering temperature usually slows down chemical reactions, so vigorous reaction with oxygen is unlikely at lower temperatures.
5. Understand thermal expansion: metals contract (shrink) when cooled rather than expand, so significant volume expansion is not expected when temperature decreases.