Ultra-Tech and Magic

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by maximara

Macro metals:
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sodium (Na)
Potassium (K)

Micro metals:
Iron (Fe)
Copper (Cu)
Manganese (Mn)
Zinc (Zn)
Selenium (Se)
Cobalt (Co)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Chromium (Cr)

So yes the human body has metals. In fact that is why Lead (Pb) is so dangerous. The body mistakes it for other vital metals and uses it instead.

When I studied chemistry, the term "metal" was normally used for the base element, such as Na or Fe. Ionized forms, such as Na+ or Fe(II) or (III), were considered to be distinct species. And the elements you list are normally found in the human body as positive ions, or in molecules or complexes such as heme; hardly ever as the base element.

[Flyndaran]

This all seems like a problem of whether you want to use historical, modern, or hypothetical ultra tech definitions. I don't think there can be a single definitive answer, especially when mixing genres like this.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by whswhs

When I studied chemistry, the term "metal" was normally used for the base element, such as Na or Fe. Ionized forms, such as Na+ or Fe(II) or (III), were considered to be distinct species. And the elements you list are normally found in the human body as positive ions, or in molecules or complexes such as heme; hardly ever as the base element.

I'd suggest that it doesn't actually matter whether metallic ions are considered metals, here. Because there's even if they are, solitary atoms provide nothing to 'shape'.

It is rather important (for bones) whether salts containing ions of metallic elements count, but it would be bizarre to say that they do since that would make a large fraction of rocks subject to Shape Metal.