Tag: Brittleness

At room temperature, zinc is a slightly brittle metal with a hexagonal close-packed crystal structure, a characteristic that defines its response to mechanical stress. Unlike many other metals, this structure means that with enough force, a piece of zinc can indeed be broken in half, though its properties are significantly influenced by temperature.

At room temperature, pure zinc is classified as a slightly brittle metal, which can shatter upon impact under certain conditions. The answer to "is zinc easy to break?" therefore depends heavily on the form of the metal and the ambient temperature, distinguishing it from more ductile metals like aluminum.