The spelling of "metallic bond" can be explained through its phonetic transcription in IPA as /mɛˈtælɪk bɒnd/. The first syllable is pronounced as "meh," the second syllable as "tal," and the third syllable as "ick." The final syllable is pronounced with the British English "ah" sound. "Metallic" is spelled with two "l's" and one "t," while "bond" has a silent "d." A metallic bond is a type of chemical bond that occurs between metal atoms.
A metallic bond refers to the electrostatic attraction that occurs between positively charged metal ions and a sea of delocalized electrons. It is a type of chemical bonding typically found in metals and their alloys. In a metallic bond, the valence electrons from each metal atom are shared among all the neighboring atoms rather than being confined to a specific pair of atoms.
The unique properties of metallic elements arise from this type of bonding. Due to the mobility of their electrons, metals exhibit high electrical and thermal conductivity. Additionally, metallic bonds give rise to malleability and ductility, enabling the atoms to easily slide past one another without breaking the bond. This leads to the ability of metals to be bent, hammered, or stretched into desired shapes without compromising their structural integrity.
The strength of a metallic bond depends on factors such as the number of valence electrons per atom and the size of the metal ions. The smaller the ions and the greater the number of valence electrons, the stronger the bond. The strength of metallic bonding also contributes to the high melting and boiling points observed in metallic elements.
Overall, a metallic bond can be understood as a strong attraction between metal ions and a shared pool of valence electrons. This unique bonding arrangement accounts for the distinct physical and chemical properties exhibited by metals.
The word "metallic" comes from the Latin word "metallum", which means "metal". It is derived from the Greek word "metallon", which also means "metal". The term "metallic bond" was first used by the American chemist George William Wheland in the 1930s. The term was coined to describe the type of chemical bonding that occurs in metals, where metal atoms share their valence electrons in a sea of electrons, creating a delocalized electron cloud that holds the metal atoms together. The term "bond" refers to the force or interaction between the atoms that holds them in a specific arrangement in a solid material.