Metallic bonding

Question 1

describe the structure of metals

Answer 1

• it’s a giant structure
• the electrons in the outer shell of the metal atom are delocalised
• Strong electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged electrons and positively charged metal ions
• held together in a regular structure

Question 2

What state are metals in at room temp

Answer 2

• solid
• because the electrostatic forces between the metal atoms and the delocalised sea of electrons are very strong
• so they require lots of energy to break
• therefore they have high melting/boiling points, so they are solid a room temp

Question 3

What is galvanizing

Answer 3

Putting Zinc crystals on the surface of steel when dipped into molten zinc, stops steel rusting

Question 4

Are metals good conductors

Answer 4

• the delocalised electrons carry electrical charge and thermal energy through the whole structure
• so metals are good conductors of electricity and heat

Question 5

Are metals malleable

Answer 5

• the layers of atoms in a metal can slide over each other
• this makes them malleable
• this means that they can be bent or hammered or rolled into flat sheets

Question 6

Why are alloys harder than metals

Answer 6

• alloys are a mixture of 2 or more metals or a metal and another element
• because different elements have different sized atoms, the element that is added will distort the layers of the metals atom
• making it more difficult to slide over each other
• which makes them harder than pure metals (where each atom is the same size)