Structure and Bonding in Metals

Overview

• Metals possess high melting and boiling points.
• Metals are good conductors of electricity and heat.
• Properties of metals can be altered by forming alloys.

Metallic Bonding

• Metals are structured as giant arrangements of atoms.
• Atoms in metals are arranged in a regular pattern.
• Delocalised electrons from the outer shells of metal atoms move freely through the structure.
• These electrons allow for strong metallic bonding.

Properties of Metallic Bonding

• Electrical Conductivity:
  • Delocalised electrons carry electrical charge through the metal.
• Thermal Conductivity:
  • Delocalised electrons are effective in transferring thermal energy.
• Melting and Boiling Points:
  • Strong metallic bonds require large amounts of energy to overcome, resulting in high melting and boiling points.

Why Metals Conduct Electricity

• Metals can conduct electricity due to the presence of delocalised electrons that move and carry charge through them.

Additional Resources

• BBC Sounds: Series on Metallic Bonding
• Next: Alloys

Related Topics

• The Three States of Matter - AQA
• Changes of State: Interactive Activity - AQA
• Ionic Compounds - AQA

External Resources

• Quizlet: GCSE Chemistry
• Royal Society of Chemistry