Metallic Bonding

Iron gate

Aluminium sheets

copper wire

silver plate

- In a metallic lattice, metal atoms tend to lose their outer electrons and become positive ions.
- The lost electrons then occupy new energy levels and move free throughout the lattice.
- The free mobile electrons in the lattice are called delocalised electrons.
Definition: Delocalised electrons are electrons not associated with a particular atom or bond but can
spread over three or more atoms.
- Metallic bonds are strong due to the strong electrostatic attraction between positive charge ions of the
metal and the negative charges of the delocalised electrons.
Definition: A Metallic bond is electrostatic attraction between positive charge metal ions and delocalised
electrons.
Factor affecting strength of metallic bonds
(i)
Size of positive charge: The greater the positive charge on the ion, the stronger the metallic bond.
(ii)
Size of positive ion: The smaller the positive charge ions in the lattice, the stronger the metallic bond .
(iii)
Number of delocalised electrons per atom: The greater the number of delocalised electrons in the
lattice, the stronger the metallic bond.
Diagramatical representation of metallic bonds

+ + + +

Positive metal ions

+ +
+
+

Delocalized electrons

+ + + +

Definition: A Lattice is an array of points in three dimensions.

Properties of metals based on metallic bonds
(i)
High melting and boiling point: Electrostatic attractive force between positive charge metal ions
and delocalised electrons is so strong that only high temperatures can overcome them.
(ii)
Electrical conductivity: Metals are good conductors of electricity because their delocalised electrons
are free to move.
(iii)
Thermal conductivity: Metals conduct electricity because their delocalised electrons are free to
move and also due to vibrations passed from one metallic ion to the other.
(iv)
Solubility: Metals are insoluble because hydration energy cannot overcome the metal bonds. Some
metals in contact with water react with it.
e

e
+

a
e

+
e

+
e

e
c

+
e

Cl

Intermolecular forces (IMFs)

- Covalent bonds between atoms in a molecule are strong but forces between molecules of a given
substance are weak.
Definition: An Intermolecular force is a weak electrostatic force of attraction between two or more
molecules.
- A knowledge of electronegativity and bond polarity will facilitate the understanding of intermolecular
forces.
Definition: Electronegativity is the ability of a covalently bonded atom to attract a pair of electrons in a
covalent towards itself.
- The five most electronegative elements are Br < Cl < N < O < F.
Polarity in molecules
- All bonds between atoms of the same element are non-polar. This because all atoms of the same
element have the same electronegativity. In non-polar bonds, electrons are equally shared.
- A bond formed between atoms of different elements are polar. This because all atoms of different
elements have different electronegativities. Electrons in polar bonds are not equally shared.
- The electron density in a polar covalent bond is greater towards the more electronegative atom than
the less electronegative atom.
- Thus the less electronegative atom in the bond carries a partial positive charge (+; read as delta
positive) while the more electronegative atom in the bond carries a partial negative charge (-; read as
delta negative)
- HCl is a polar molecule or said to have a dipole. The greater the difference in electronegativity, the
more polar the bond.
The arrow points towards the more electronegative element.
- Molecules like BeCl2, CO2, BCl3, CCl4 etc have polar covalent bonds because the atoms in the bonds
have different electronegativities. Each of the molecules is symmetrical such that the dipoles cancel out .
Definition: A polar covalent bond is one in which the bonded pairs of electrons is not equally shared by
the atoms in the bond.
Polarity and chemical reactivity
- A polar molecule is more reactive than a non-polar molecule.
- Both NN (N2) and CO (CO) are isoelectronic molecules. CO being polar is more reactive that N2
which is non-polar.