Metallic Bonds

Metals hold their valence electrons very easily.  In fact, they are held so loosely that electrons have free range to move wherever they want to.  Because of their mobility, these electrons form a "sea of electrons" around metallic nuclei. 

As these electrons move around, they are attracted to the positive nucleus of other metallic atoms.  This attraction is a metallic bond.  It is very weak and temporary.  As the electrons move on, they continue to form additional metallic bonds only to break them and form additional metallic bonds.  Of the three types of bonds, the metallic bond is the weakest and least significant.  Metallic bonds only occur within metals.  Also these mobile electrons are referred to as "delocalized" electrons since they don't seem to belong to any particular atom.

Alloys:

Alloys are a homogeneous mixture (hence a solution by definition) of two different metals.*

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Frequency Asked Questions (FAQs) About Alloys:

1)  How are alloys made?

The metals are heated to their melting points.  The resulting liquids are mixed together in an uniform fashion and allowed to solidify (ie freeze).  The solid mixture is called alloy.

2) Why would anyone want to create alloys?

Alloys combine the best properties of both substances.  For example, Iron rusts when exposed to Oxygen.  By mixing it with Carbon, we create the alloy Steel which is strong and resistant to rusting. 

Alloys are more durable (unlikely to deteriorate) than their individual metals. Aluminum alloys are use don airplanes because they are very strong but lightweight.

3)  What are some common alloys?

*Realize that steel is a mixture of iron and carbon, a nonmetal.  Generally alloys contain only metals however.