Metallic Bonding

Metals

1. Strong

   • Cannot be easily broken

2. Malleable and Ductile

   • When you hit a metal, layers of ions slide over each other and the structure is held together by the electrons. Therefore the structure changes shape instead of breaking

3. High melting and boiling points

   • Except mercury, which is liquid at room temperature
   • Many strong bonds need to be broken during melting

4. Good conductors of electricity

   • Metals are made up of a lattice of positive ions, through which a 'sea' of free electrons are free to move
     • Electrons can easily move through the substance and carry electric current
     • Thermal vibrations are easily passed from one molecule to the next because they are very closely packed. Electrons can also transfer heat throughout the structure

5. Good conductors of heat

   • High thermal conductivity

6. Shiny when polished

   • Lustrous
     • More reactive metals tend to build up a layer of oxide on surface which dulls them
       • Eg: Rust on Iron

7. High density

8. React with oxygen to form basic oxides

9. Can be made into alloys- A mixture of two metals

   • Different sized atoms distort the lattice and make it harder for layers of atoms to slide over each other
     • Alloys are harder than metals

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