Metallic Bonding

Q:- Describe the structure or bonding in a metal.

Ans: Metals have a giant metallic lattice structure held together by
electrostatic forces of attraction between the layers of metal cations
and the sea of freely moving delocalized electrons.
Q:- Why do metals have high melting and boiling points?
Ans: There are many strong metallic bonds in giant metallic structures
so large amounts of heat energy are needed to overcome these forces
and break these bonds.
Q:- Why metals are good conductors of electricity and heat?
Ans: Metals are good conductors because of the free electrons that are
available to move and carry a charge.
Q:- Why are metals malleable and ductile?
Ans: Metals have a layered structure of metal cations surrounded by
delocalized electrons. Therefore, when force is applied, these layers
slide over each other while the delocalized electrons move along the
layers keeping the metallic bonding intact.
Q:- What are alloys?
Ans: Alloys are mixtures of two or more metals.
Q:- Why alloys are harder than pure metals?
Ans: Because alloys contain cations of different sizes. The larger metal
cations block the layers of smaller metal cations and hence the layers of
smaller cations can’t slide over each other.
 Metallic Bonding

Q:- What are allotropes?

Ans: The different physical forms of the same element are called
allotropes.
Q:- Why do Fullerenes have a very low melting point as compared to
graphite or diamond?
Ans: Fullerene exists as a simple molecular structure making it have
weak intermolecular forces. Therefore, less energy is required to break
these weak intermolecular forces.
On the other hand, Diamond or Graphite exists as a giant covalent
structure making them have strong covalent bonds. Therefore, a lot of
energy is required to break these strong covalent bonds.
Q:- Why graphite is a soft material?
Ans: Graphite has weak intermolecular forces between the layers.
Therefore, when force is applied, these layers slide over each other.
Q:- Why graphite is an electrical conductor?
Ans: Because graphite has delocalized electrons.
Q- Why SiO2 and Diamond are not electrical conductors?
Ans: SiO2 and Diamond don’t have delocalized electrons because all the
outermost electrons are used in making covalent bonds.