• Metals form?giant metallic lattices?in which the metal ions are surrounded by a ‘sea’ of?delocalised?electrons
• The metal ions are often packed in?hexagonal layers?or in a?cubic arrangement
• This layered structure with the delocalised electrons gives a metal its key properties

Layers of copper ions (the delocalised electrons are not shown in the diagram)

• If other atoms are added to the metal structure, such as carbon atoms, this creates an?alloy
• Alloys are much stronger than pure metals, because the other atoms stop the layers of metal ions sliding over each other easily

• The?strength?of the metallic attraction can be increased by:
  • Increasing?the number of?delocalised?electrons?per metal atom
  • Increasing?the?positive?charges?on the metal centres in the lattice
  • Decreasing?the?size?of the metal ions

   

• Due to the delocalised ‘sea’ of electrons, metallic structures have some?characteristic?properties?shown below:

Metallic Bonding Properties Table