Malleability, ductility, luster and electrical conductivity arise from the electron sea.
Practise Bonding & Molecular Structure All Bonding & Molecular Structure topics
Metals share characteristic properties that follow from their delocalized valence electrons. The electron sea conducts electricity and heat, because electrons move easily through the lattice under an applied voltage or temperature gradient. Lustre arises because free electrons reflect light across a wide range of wavelengths. Metals are malleable and ductile because layers of cations can slide without breaking the bonding. Alloying changes hardness by introducing atoms of different size that disrupt the regular layers, while melting points vary widely from metal to metal.
Key ideas: Explain each property from the electron sea: conductivity from mobile electrons, thermal conductivity from electron motion, malleability from nondirectional bonding, lustre from reflecting light. Conductivity falls as temperature rises because lattice vibrations scatter electrons. Alloys are harder since different atom sizes block slip planes, such as bronze and steel.
Common mistakes and connections: Students confuse brittleness with hardness, and think metals are always hard and dense: sodium is soft and floats on water. Another is stating that metals conduct because of free ions. The trend with temperature is opposite to semiconductors. Connects to metallic bonding, band theory, alloys and the photoelectric effect.
Electrical conductivity of metals is high because delocalized electrons move freely. Silver and copper, with one s electron each, are the best conductors. The interactive lesson shows this as a live animation or chart.
Copper conducts electricity well and can be drawn into fine wire.
Malleability, ductility, luster and electrical conductivity arise from the electron sea.
Properties of Metals is a beginner topic in Bonding & Molecular Structure. It needs no earlier chemistry lessons and is a good starting point.
Study these earlier topics in Bonding & Molecular Structure first: Born-Haber Cycle, Properties of Ionic Compounds, Properties of Covalent Compounds.
The next topics in Bonding & Molecular Structure are Band Theory and Semiconductors.
Yes. The interactive lesson includes a self-check question on Properties of Metals, and the Bonding & Molecular Structure quiz draws on every topic in this area.
Properties of Metals is topic 31 of 104 in Bonding & Molecular Structure.