Fill in the blanksQuestion 1 · Recall
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By the end you can describe the giant metallic lattice of copper and link it to the typical properties of metals.
A metal such as copper is a giant metallic lattice:
For copper, each atom gives up its one outer () electron to the sea, so the lattice holds positive copper ion cores packed closely together. The syllabus picture to remember: positive ions in a sea of delocalised electrons.
Giant metallic lattice
A giant metallic lattice is a regular arrangement of positive metal ions surrounded by delocalised electrons that are free to move throughout the structure.
Imagine rows of ball bearings (the ions) sitting in sticky honey (the delocalised electrons). The honey holds every ball — but if you push a row sideways, it slides without falling apart.
That is why metals bend instead of shattering, and why a hit deforms rather than cracks them.
Where it breaks: the electrons are not a liquid, and the attraction is electrostatic, not stickiness.
| property | reason from the structure |
|---|---|
| conducts electricity | delocalised electrons are free to move and carry charge |
| conducts heat | the same mobile electrons pass kinetic energy along quickly |
| malleable and ductile (bends and stretches) | layers of ions slide without breaking the metallic bonding — the electrons keep holding |
Copper adds one more famous property: it is a good conductor of both electricity and heat, which is why it is used in wiring and cooking pans.