Valence Electrons in a Metallic Solid (College Board AP Chemistry)

• The atoms in a metallic solid are arranged together in metallic lattices
• Since the atoms are tightly packed together, they lose valence electrons and become positive ions
• Therefore, electrons are free to move throughout the structure
  • The free-moving electron are called “delocalized” because they do not correspond to particular atoms anymore
• The metallic solids are held together by the Coulombic forces of attraction between the positively charged metal ions and a sea of delocalized electrons
• The interaction between ions and electrons is named metallic bonding

The Structure of a Metal

The positive metal centers interact with a Coulombic force of attraction with in a ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons