Metallic bonding

Why do metals bond metallically?

• metallic bonding requires delocalised electrons

• The electrons in the outer shells of metal atoms are delocalised

• Strong electrostatic attraction between the positive ions and shared negative electrons

• These forces of attraction hold atoms together in a regular structure

• Metallic bonds are very strong

What substances are held together by metallic bonds?

Elements and alloys

Explain why metals are solid at room temperature.

• Electrostatic attraction between the metal atoms and delocalised electrons are very strong and require a lot of energy to be broken

• Therefore compounds with metallic bonds have high melting and boiling points

What are the properties of metals because of metallic bonds?

• Solid

• High belting and boiling points

• Good conductors of heat and electeicity

• Malleable

Why can metals with metallic bond conduct heat and electricity?

The delocalised electrons carry electric charge and thermal energy through the whole structure

Why are most metals malleable because of metallic bonds?

The layers of atoms in a metal can slide over each other

What are some common problems with pure metals?

• Not right for specific jobs

• too soft

What is an alloy?

a mixture of two or more metals or a metal and another element

Why are allows harder than pure metals?

• Different elements have different sized atoms,

• when another element is mixed with a pure metal, the new atoms will distort the layers of metal atoms

• making it harder for them to slide over each other