Chemistry / Unit 8 Chem 1457 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Metallic Solids
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The idea
A metallic solid is held by metallic bonding, a shared "sea" of delocalized electrons around fixed metal atom positions.
In practice
Copper conducts electricity and heat well and hammers into new shapes without shattering, both from delocalized-electron bonding.
Where people slip
Calling a solid "metallic" does not imply a uniformly high melting point — liquid mercury and transition metals above 1000 °C share the same delocalized-electron bonding.
Your place on the trail
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