Metallic Bonding

• Metals consist of giant structures of atoms arranged in a regular pattern
• The electrons in the outer shell of metal atoms are delocalised and so are free to move through the whole structure
• The sharing of delocalised electrons gives rise to strong metallic bonds
• The bonding in metals may be represented in the following form

  
• Metals have giant structures of atoms with strong metallic bonding which means that most metals have high melting and boiling points
• In pure metals, atoms are arranged in layers, which allows metals to be bent and shaped
• Pure metals are too soft for many uses and so are mixed with other metals to make alloys which are harder
• Alloys are harder than pure metals because they have different sized atoms which distort the layers of the metal atoms making it more difficult for them to slide over each other
• Metals are good conductors of electricity because the delocalised electrons in the metal carry electrical charge through the metal
• Metals are good conductors of thermal energy because energy is transferred by the delocalised electrons