Metals: from atoms to useful materials
Metals are not simply shiny solids. Their structure explains their properties, their reactivity determines how they are extracted, and their environment determines whether they corrode.
1. Metallic structure and bonding
In a metal, outer electrons are delocalized: they are shared throughout a regular lattice of positive metal ions. Electrostatic attraction between the ions and the mobile electrons is called metallic bonding. It acts in all directions and holds the lattice together.
| Observed property | Structural explanation |
|---|---|
| Electrical and thermal conductivity | Mobile electrons transfer charge and energy through the lattice. |
| Malleability and ductility | Layers of ions can slide while attraction to the electron cloud remains. |
| Usually high melting point | Many strong attractions must be overcome; the exact value varies among metals. |
| Metallic lustre | Surface electrons interact with and reflect light. |
Analogy: imagine rows of seats surrounded by a shared moving crowd. The rows remain organized even when one layer shifts because the shared crowd still links them.
2. Chemical properties
Metal atoms tend to lose electrons and form cations, so metals act as reducing agents. Their reactions depend on position in the activity series. Many react with oxygen to form oxides; sufficiently active metals react with water; metals above hydrogen react with dilute non-oxidizing acids to release hydrogen; and a more active metal can displace a less active metal from a salt solution.