Metallic Bonding
Ck12 Science
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Printed: August 4, 2016
AUTHOR
Ck12 Science
www.ck12.org
C HAPTER
Chapter 1. Metallic Bonding
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Metallic Bonding
• Define metallic bond.
• Describe properties of metals.
Why do metals behave the way they do?
The image above is of a copper plate that was made in 1893. The utensil has a great deal of elaborate decoration
and the item is very useful. What would have happened if we decided that copper (I) chloride was just as good a
material (well, it does have copper in it). The CuCl would end up as a powder when we pounded on it to shape
it. Metals behave in unique ways. The bonding that occurs in a metal is responsible for its distinctive properties:
luster, malleability, ductility, and excellent conductivity.
The Metallic Bond
Pure metals are crystalline solids, but unlike ionic compounds, every point in the crystal lattice is occupied by an
identical atom. The electrons in the outer energy levels of a metal are mobile and capable of drifting from one metal
atom to another. This means that the metal is more properly viewed as an array of positive ions surrounded by a
sea of mobile valence electrons. Electrons which are capable of moving freely throughout the empty orbitals of the
metallic crystal are called delocalized electrons (see Figure 1.1). A metallic bond is the attraction of the stationary
metal cations to the surrounding mobile electrons.
MEDIA
Click image to the left or use the URL below.
URL: https://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/184749
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FIGURE 1.1
In a metal, the stationary metal cations
are surrounded by a sea of mobile valence electrons that are not associated
with any one cation.
Properties of Metals
The metallic bonding model explains the physical properties of metals. Metals conduct electricity and heat very
well because of their free-flowing electrons. As electrons enter one end of a piece of metal, an equal number of
electrons flow outward from the other end. When light is shone on to the surface of a metal, its electrons absorb
small amounts of energy and become excited into one of its many empty orbitals. The electrons immediately fall
back down to lower energy levels and emit light. This process is responsible for the high luster of metals.
FIGURE 1.2
The American Platinum Eagle is the official platinum bullion coin of the United
States and was first minted in 1997. The
luster of a metal is due to its metallic
bonds.
Recall that ionic compounds are very brittle. Application of a force results in like-charged ions in the crystal coming
too close to one another, causing the crystal to shatter. When a force is applied to a metal, the free-flowing electrons
can slip in between the stationary cations and prevent them from coming in contact. Imagine ball bearings that
have been coated with oil sliding past one another. As a result, metals are very malleable and ductile. They can be
hammered into shapes, rolled into thin sheets, or pulled into thin wires.
Summary
• The metallic bond is responsible for the properties of metals.
• Metals conduct electricity and heat well.
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Chapter 1. Metallic Bonding
• Metals are ductile and malleable.
• Metals have luster.
Review
1. What is a delocalized electron?
2. Why do metals conduct electricity and heat well?
3. Why do metals have luster?
• delocalized electrons: Electrons which are capable of moving freely throughout the empty orbitals of the
metallic crystal.
• ductile: Able to be drawn out into a thin wire.
• luster: A gentle sheen or soft glow, especially that of a partly reflective surface.
• malleable: Able to be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking.
• metallic bond: The attraction of the stationary metal cations to the surrounding mobile electrons.
References
1. John Pearson. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Pearson01.png .
2. CK-12 Foundation - Christopher Auyeung. .
3. Courtesy of the US Mint. Front: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2005_AEPlat_Proof_Obv.png; Bac
k: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Platinum_Eagle_2008_Proof_Rev.jpg .
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