Metallic bonding

• Metallic bonding


  The type of bonding between metal atoms
• Metallic bonding


  • Atoms give up their outer shell electrons and share them with all other atoms
  • Atoms become positive ions as they have lost negative electrons
  • Electrons are delocalized and free to move about
  • Strong electrostatic attraction between positive ions and negative electrons
  • Holds the structure together in a regular pattern
• Metals


  • Have high melting and boiling points, so are solid at room temperature
  • Good conductors of electricity and heat because delocalized electrons can carry current and thermal energy
  • Malleable, can be bent or hammered into shapes
• Alloys


  Contain two or more different elements, either by mixing different metals or a metal and a non-metal
• Alloys


  • Contain different sized atoms which disrupt the metal's regular structure
  • Layers can no longer slide over one another, making the alloy much harder than pure metal
• Alloy


  • Steel, made up mostly of iron but also contains 1-2% carbon, and sometimes chromium, manganese or vanadium