Electrical Conductivity and Metals

Question 1

How are metals held together

Answer 1

Metallic bonding

Question 1

Electric current -

Answer 1

The flow of electrons or ions

Question 2

How does metallic bonding work

Answer 2

• metals have a giant structure of positive ions surrounded by a sea of delocalised electrons
• the electrostatic attractions between the nuclei of the positive ions and the electrons is called metallic bonding

Question 3

Why are metals good conductors of electricity and heat

Answer 3

• the delocalized electrons are able to move through the structure**
• therefore metals can conduct electricity
• movement of electrons also means that energy can be transferred quickly though material —> so metals are good conductors of heat

Question 4

Why are most metals malleable?

Answer 4

• layers of ions in a metal can slide over each other —> making metals malleable