Kidneys and Metals Problem Set

Problem 3: Properties of metals and health implications

Correct!

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of metals?

A.	Metals are often charged ions.
B.	Metals can be destroyed or degraded in the body. Metals are elements, so they cannot be destroyed or broken down. With other types of toxic substances, one way the body detoxifies them is to break them down into different substances, but that is not possible with metals. Metals can sometimes be made less toxic by the addition of chemical groups to the metal.
C.	Metals easily bond to other molecules.
D.	Metals can have various oxidation states.