What type of structure do metals have?
A giant structure held together by metallic bonding.
AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) — Chemistry — Higher · 5.2.2.7
Revise AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) — Chemistry — Higher specification point 5.2.2.7, Properties of metals and alloys, with free active-recall flashcards. Flip through the set or review every question and answer below.
1 / 8
What type of structure do metals have?
A giant structure held together by metallic bonding.
What is metallic bonding?
The strong electrostatic attraction between positive metal ions and delocalised electrons.
Why do most metals have high melting and boiling points?
Strong metallic bonds act throughout the giant lattice, so a large amount of energy is needed to overcome them and separate the particles.
Why can a pure metal be bent or shaped rather than shattering when a force is applied?
Its regularly arranged layers of atoms can slide past one another without the metallic bonding being completely broken.
What is an alloy?
A mixture of a metal with other elements, often other metals.
Why are pure metals mixed with other elements to make alloys?
To make them harder, since pure metals can be too soft for many uses.
How do different-sized atoms affect the arrangement of layers in an alloy?
They disrupt the regular arrangement of atomic layers found in a pure metal.
Why does the distorted arrangement of atoms make an alloy harder to deform?
It makes the layers of atoms harder to slide over one another when a force is applied.