What occurs to metals during chemical reactions?

Metals typically undergo oxidation during chemical reactions, which involves the loss of electrons. This behavior is a defining characteristic of metals, as they tend to have low electronegativities compared to non-metals, making it easier for them to lose their outer electrons. When a metal atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged, forming a cation.

For instance, in reactions with non-metals such as halogens, metals will give up their electrons to achieve a full outer electron shell, thus forming ionic compounds. This tendency to lose electrons is what leads metals to participate in various types of chemical reactions, including redox reactions, where electron transfer is fundamental.

Other options are less relevant in this context; while some metals can form complex ions under specific circumstances, the general behavior in chemical reactions is the loss of electrons. Additionally, metals do not remain unchanged in reactions; they are reactive and continually undergo transformations, particularly in electrochemical and displacement reactions. Therefore, the most accurate representation of the behavior of metals during chemical reactions is that they usually lose electrons.