Metals and Alloys

• What is metallic bonding?

  Metallic bonding is the electrostatic attraction between a sea of delocalized electrons and positive metal ions.
• What are the properties of pure metals?

  • High melting and boiling points
  • Excellent conductors of heat and electricity
  • Can be bent and shaped
• Why do metals have high melting and boiling points?

  Because strong metallic bonds require a lot of energy to break.
• How do metals conduct heat and electricity?

  Through the movement of delocalized electrons.
• What is an alloy?

  • A mixture of metals
  • Different sizes of atoms distort layers
  • Makes alloys harder than pure metals
• How does the structure of metals contribute to their properties?

  The structure allows for conductivity, malleability, and high melting/boiling points.
• Why are pure metals often not hard enough for practical use?

  Because they can be too soft and malleable.
• What happens to the layers of atoms in an alloy compared to pure metals?

  • In alloys, different atom sizes distort layers
  • This makes it harder for layers to slide over each other
  • Alloys are therefore harder than pure metals