Metallic Bonding (Oxford AQA International A Level Chemistry)

Metallic Bonding

• Metal atoms are tightly packed together in crystal structures

• When the metal atoms are in regular lattice , the electrons in their outer shells are free to move throughout the structure

• The free-moving electrons are called ‘delocalised' electrons as they are not bound to their atom

• When the electrons are delocalised, the metal atoms become positively charged

• The positive charges repel each other and keep the neatly arranged lattice in place

• There are very strong electrostatic forces between the positive metal centres and the ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons

Metallic bonding diagram