Metallic Bond

[Abigail Volk 1F]

Do we need to know this and if so what is a metallic bond or what does it do?

[Emily Glaser 1F]

A metallic bond is a bond between two metallic elements (not nonmentals or semimetals). They typically form a covalent bond since their electronegativity difference is less than 1.5. Since the transitions metals have other electron configurations other than the ones predicted by the Aufbau principle, this bonding is more complex.

[Ramya Lakkaraju 1B]

What is meant by a sea of electrons?

[Katherine Jordak 1H]

In metallic bonds, the valence electrons of each atom delocalize and kind of float around all the positively charged nuclei. These delocalized electrons form the "sea of electrons". I think that is why metals are often a malleable material; the atoms are able to slide on top of each other because of this sea of electrons.

[Raymond Zhang 3H]

I think the "sea of electrons" is also why metals tend to be so conductive.