Metallic Bonding
Metallic Bonds Properties
Type of Structure
“Electron Sea”
Conduction of Heat
Electrons are able to gain kinetic energy in hotter areas
of the metal and are able to quickly transfer it to other
parts of the metal lattice because of their freedom of
movement. Heat causes the electrons to move faster
and the ‘bumping’ of these electrons with each other
and the protons transfers the heat.
Conducts Electricity
When an electric field is applied to a metal, one end of
the metal becomes positive and the other becomes
negative. Since the electrons are free to move, all the
electrons experience a force toward the positive end.
The movement of electrons is an electric current.
Malleable and Ductile
Malleable and Ductile
Metals are malleable and ductile, rather than brittle, as a
result of the non-directional nature of metallic bonds.
The attractive forces exerted by the positive metal ions
for the mobile electrons occur in all directions. This
means that layers of atoms can move past one another
without disrupting the force between the positive ions
and the negative sea of electrons.
Malleable and Ductile
+ + + +
Force
+ + + +
+ + + +
Malleable and Ductile
Mobile e-’s allow atoms to slide by
like ball bearings in oil.
+ + + +
Force
+ + + +
+ + + +
High Melting Point
The generally high melting points indicate that metallic
bonding is quite strong.
Melting points increase with an increase in the number
of valence electrons to the sea, since there is a greater
attractive force between the cations and the electrons.
High Density
Most metals have relatively high densities
because metallic lattices are close-packed.
Structure of Metals
Electrostatic forces of attraction between the
positively charged cations and the negatively
charged electrons hold the lattice together.
A metal is therefore a seen as a rigid
framework of cations immersed in a ‘sea’ of
electrons that serve as the cement holding the
three-dimensional cationic network together –
Metallic bonding.
