Metallic bonding

• Metallic bonding

  The structure of how atoms are arranged in metals, with metal ions and delocalised electrons
• Metals

  • Malleable (bend & shaped)
  • Conduct electricity
  • Have high melting points
• Metals are harder than non-metals
• Keywords

  • Metallic bonding
  • Delocalised electrons
  • Alloys
• Metallic bonding

  The structure where the outer electrons of metal atoms separate and create a 'sea of free electrons' that are delocalized and able to move through the whole structure, with the metal atoms becoming positively charged ions that are attracted to the sea of electrons
• Structure of metals

  • Atoms packed in tightly-packed layers, forming a regular lattice structure
• Metals have high melting points


  Due to the strong attraction between the positively charged metal ions and the sea of electrons
• Increasing electron cloud density as more electrons are donated per atom means the ions are held more strongly
• When a metal is heated

  The delocalized electrons gain kinetic energy and move faster, transferring the gained energy throughout the metal, making heat transfer in metals very efficient
• Delocalized electrons in metallic bonding


  Allow metals to conduct heat and electricity
• Metals are usually strong, not brittle, because the layers of metal ions are able to slide over each other when hit, and the metallic bonds do not break due to the delocalized electrons being free to move through the structure
• This also explains why metals are malleable and ductile
• Alloys


  • Mixing two or more metals together disrupts the regular arrangement of the atoms, preventing the atoms from forming layers and making it harder for the atoms to slide over each other, resulting in the alloy being stronger than the pure metals
• Alloys


  • Examples not provided
• Metals are often mixed with alloys
• The disrupted atomic arrangement in alloys


  Gives alloys different properties compared to pure metals