Metals

It's neither as tough as iron nor as pretty as silver, and it's the most common metal on earth both in prevalence and in stature. Yet, this basic element has defied the odds to make itself practically indispensible in our daily lives. From soda cans to telephone wires, this often underestimated material is woven into the fabric of our society. But this didn't come easy. It took hard work and ingenuity to find a way to extract pure aluminum from its natural form. As a result, aluminum came onto the production scene relatively late in the game -- but better late than never. Find out how much you know about this element in our quiz.