Question Video: Understanding Why Metals Are Generally Stiff and Hard Substances Chemistry • Second Year of Secondary School

Name: Understanding Why Metals Are Generally Stiff and Hard Substances
Uploaded: 2021-06-10
Description: Which structural property of metals is responsible for their hardness? [A] The particles are part of a giant lattice. [B] The particles in the metal are held together by strong metallic bonds. [C] The particles in the metal have a regular arrangement. [D] The layers of particles in the metal can slide over each other. [E] Delocalized electrons exist between the particles in the metal.

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Which structural property of metals is responsible for their hardness? [A] The particles are part of a giant lattice. [B] The particles in the metal are held together by strong metallic bonds. [C] The particles in the metal have a regular arrangement. [D] The layers of particles in the metal can slide over each other. [E] Delocalized electrons exist between the particles in the metal.

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Video Transcript

Which structural property of metals is responsible for their hardness? (A) The particles are part of a giant lattice. (B) The particles in the metal are held together by strong metallic bonds. (C) The particles in the metal have a regular arrangement. (D) The layers of particles in the metal can slide over each other. Or (E) delocalized electrons exist between the particles in the metal.

Metals consist of positively charged metal cations, arranged in a regular arrangement in a giant lattice. The valence electrons of the metal atoms are delocalized and are not bound to the atoms. And that is why we say the metal atoms exist as cations rather than neutral atoms. There are strong electrostatic interactions between the positive and negative charges. These attractive forces are called metallic bonds. Because metallic bonds are so strong, a lot of energy is required to overcome these bonds when breaking the particles apart.

The question asks us which structural property of metals is responsible for their hardness. The hardness of metals is a result of these strong metallic bonds. Think of a wire cutter used to cut a piece of metal. For most metals, a lot of energy is needed, specifically mechanical energy, to overcome the hardness of the metal. The question asks, which structural property of metals is responsible for their hardness? The answer is (B), the particles in the metal are held together by strong metallic bonds.