Metallic Bonding

Question 1

How are metal atoms held together?

Answer 1

Metal atoms are held together strongly by metallic bonding.

Question 2

What happens to the atoms within the metal lattice in metallic bonding?o

Answer 2

Within the metal lattice, the atoms lose their valence electrons and become positively charged. The valence electrons no longer belong to any metal atom and are said to be delocalised. They move freely between the positive metal ions like a sea of electrons.

Question 3

Are metallic bonds strong and why?

Answer 3

Metallic bonds are strong and are a result of the attraction between the positive metal ions and the negatively charged delocalised electrons

Question 4

What is the attraction in a metallic bond?

Answer 4

The attraction in metallic bonding is between the positive metal ions and the negatively charged delocalised electrons

Question 5

Why do metals have high melting and boiling points?

Answer 5

There are many strong metallic bonds in giant metallic structures
A lot of heat energy is needed to overcome forces and break these bonds

Question 6

Why do metals conduct electricity?

Answer 6

There are free electrons available to move and carry charge
Electrons entering one end of the metal cause a delocalised electron to displace itself from the other end
Hence electrons can flow so electricity is conducted

Question 7

Why are metals ductile?

Answer 7

Layers of positive ions can slide over one another and take up different positions.
Metallic bonding is not disrupted as the valence electrons do not belong to any particular metal atom so the delocalised electrons will move with them.
Metallic bonds are thus not broken and as a result metals are strong but flexible.
They can be hammered and bent into different shapes without breaking