Metallic Bonding

This lesson covers metallic bonding and the properties of metals as required by the Edexcel GCSE Combined Science specification (1SC0). You need to understand the model of metallic bonding — a lattice of positive metal ions surrounded by a sea of delocalised electrons — and be able to explain the typical properties of metals using this model.

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What Is Metallic Bonding?

Metallic bonding is the strong electrostatic attraction between positive metal ions (cations) and a sea of delocalised electrons.

How Metallic Bonding Works

1. Metal atoms are packed closely together in a regular arrangement (a lattice).
2. The outer-shell electrons of each metal atom become delocalised — they detach from their atoms and move freely throughout the entire structure.
3. The metal atoms become positive ions (they have lost their outer electrons).
4. The delocalised electrons form a "sea of electrons" that surrounds all the positive ions.
5. There is a strong electrostatic attraction between the positive ions and the negative delocalised electrons — this holds the structure together.