Lead is a dull, gray, post transition metal with a melting point of 327 degrees Celsius. It is relatively unreactive and can even act as a container to hold some acids. It has oxidation states of +2 and +4. Lead is dense and malleable. It is usually the end product of the decay chains of higher, radioactive elements. It has only been recently that Lead's toxicity has become known. Before that, it was used for a lot of things in ancient civilizations that could poison the people there.

Lead used to have a lot of uses, such as pigment for paint, to prevent knocking in engines, in pipes, cosmetics, etc. However, once its toxicity became widely known, it was no longer used for some of those purposes. Today, it is used in solders, and to contain radioactive material.