Which statement describes a characteristic of most metals?

• A. They tend to lose electrons to form positive ions.
• B. They are generally poor conductors of electricity.
• C. They are usually brittle in the solid state.
• D. They have high electronegativity values.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the general properties of metals in chemistry, focusing on their behavior in terms of electrons and bonding.
2. Understand that metals tend to lose electrons during chemical reactions, which leads to the formation of positive ions (cations). This is because metals have relatively low ionization energies.
3. Recognize that metals are typically good conductors of electricity due to the presence of free-moving valence electrons, so the statement about poor conductivity is incorrect.
4. Note that metals are usually malleable and ductile rather than brittle, which means they can be shaped without breaking easily.
5. Remember that metals generally have low electronegativity values, meaning they do not strongly attract electrons compared to nonmetals.