SECTION 6.

Metallic Bonding

The previous sections discussed chemical bonds in ionic

KEY TERMS
compounds and covalent compounds. Metals are held
metallic bonding ductility
together by a different type of bond, resulting in some of malleability
the unique properties of metals.
Solid ionic compounds cannot conduct electricity. The
electrons in an ionic crystal lattice are tightly bound to the
atoms that make up the lattice. If the ionic compound melts,
destroying the crystal structure, or if it is dissolved in water,
then the ions can conduct electricity. The valence electrons
in a molecular covalent bond are also locked inside bonds,
Critical Thinking
making molecular compounds poor conductors. 1. Evaluate Which is most likely
the better conductor of electricity:
One property shared by all metals is their ability to a block of solid sodium or a sodium
chloride crystal? Explain.
conduct electricity. A metal contains valence electrons that
are mobile and able to move throughout the metal. They A block of solid sodium because
are much better conductors than molten ionic compounds. the electrons in a sodium
chloride crystal are so tightly
Metal electrons move freely in empty, overlapping bound together that there is no
orbitals. room for an electric current

The outermost energy level of most metal atoms contains very

few electrons. The s-block metals contain only one or two
valence electrons. The highest p sublevel, which can hold up to
six electrons, is empty. The d-block metals contain an empty p
sublevel in their outermost energy level, and often empty d
orbitals in the next lowest energy level.
Within a metal, the empty orbitals in the outer energy
levels overlap. This overlapping of orbitals allows the outer
electrons of metal atoms to move freely throughout the entire
metal. The electrons do not belong to any specific atom, so
they are called delocalized electrons.
Delocalized electrons in a metal form a sea of electrons
around the metal’s atoms. The atoms are packed together
in a crystal lattice, similar to an ionic crystal lattice. The Solid sodium is arranged in a
crystal lattice such that each
attraction between the metal atoms and the surrounding
atom is surrounded by eight
sea of electrons is called metallic bonding. other sodium atoms.

194 ChaPTeR 6
Metallic Properties
The sea of electrons in a metal allows electric current to flow
freely. This makes metals good electrical conductors. Metallic
bonding also causes metals to have other characteristic
properties.
Thermal Conductivity The sea of electrons can transfer heat
as well as carry electric current. Therefore, metals are good
thermal conductors as well as electrical conductors.
Luster Metals are strong reflectors and absorbers of
light. Metals contain many orbitals separated by
extremely small energy differences, so they are able to
absorb many frequencies of light. This excites the
electrons, which rise to higher energy levels, then
immediately fall back to lower energy levels and
release light at similar frequencies. This re-radiated, or
reflected, light gives metals their luster.
Malleability Metals can be formed into many desired This stainless steel silverware has a
shapes. Malleability is the ability of a substance to be high luster. Stainless steel is a mixture
of the metals iron and chromium.
hammered into thin sheets. Metal is malleable because
the layers in a metallic lattice can slide past each other
without breaking bonds.
Ductility A property of metals related to malleability is
ductility. Ductility is the ability of a substance to be pulled
or drawn through a small opening to produce a wire.

Metallic Bond Strength

The strength of metallic bonds varies with the
nuclear charge of the metal atoms and the
number of electrons in a metal’s sea of electrons. Enthalpies of Vaporization
of Some Metals (kJ/mol)
Both of these properties affect how much energy
is required to vaporize a metal. A metal is Period Element
vaporized when all of the metallic bonds are Second Li Be
broken and the atoms form a gas. The energy 147 297
required to vaporize a metal is called the metal’s Third Na Mg Al
enthalpy of vaporization. Some enthalpies of 97 128 294
vaporization are given in the table at the right. Fourth K Ca Sc
77 155 333
READING CHECK Fifth Rb Sr Y
2. Which property makes it possible to use a 76 137 365
metal to make long, thin wires? Sixth Cs Ba La
Ductility 64 140 402

Chemical Bonding 195

 SECTION 6.4 REVIEW
VOCABULARY
1. a. What is metallic bonding?

The chemical bonding that results from the attraction between metal atoms
and the surrounding sea of electrons

b. How can the strength of metallic bonding be measured?

They can be measured by the nuclear charge of the metal atoms and the number of
electrons in a metal's sea of electrons

REVIEW
2. Describe the electron-sea model of metallic bonding.

Overlapping orbitals in the outer energy levels, allows outer electrons to move freely
throughout the metal which allows metals to conduct electricity.

3. What is the relationship between metallic bond strength and enthalpy

of vaporization?

The properties of bond strength affect how much energy is required to vaporize a metal. Greater
enthalpy of vaporization, the stronger the bonds are

4. Explain why most metals are malleable and ductile but ionic crystals
are not.
Most are malleable because the layers in the metallic lattice can slide past without breaking
bonds. Most are ductile because they can be pulled through small opening without
breaking. Ionic crystals are not because they are brittle and break much easier.

Critical Thinking
5. ORGANIZING IDEAS Explain why metals are good electrical conductors.

196 C HA P T E R 6