Why do metals conduct electricity ks3

Many pure metals are too soft for many uses. They can be made harder by adding another element to the pure metal, so forming an alloy. This explains why an alloy often has more uses than the pure elements it is made from. Pure iron, for example, is very soft. Adding a small amount of tungsten to iron makes tool steel, which is harder than pure iron. Steels are examples of alloys. There are many types of steel. In the solid state, a pure metal has a giant metallic structure.

The atoms are arranged in layers. When a force is applied, the layers may slide over each other. Gaseous metals do not conduct electricity. Heat energy can be transferred by the electrons as excess kinetic energy it makes them move faster as well as via lattice vibrations by the heat transfer method of conduction..

The energy is transferred rapidly throughout the rest of the metal by the moving electrons. That is why metals are such good conductors of heat. Strength and workability. Malleability and ductility. Metals are described as malleable can be beaten into sheets and ductile can be pulled out into wires.

This is because of the ability of the atoms to roll over each other into new positions without breaking the metallic bond. If a small stress is put onto the metal, the layers of atoms will start to roll over each other. If the stress is released again, they will fall back to their original positions.

Under these circumstances, the metal is said to be suffering elastic deformation - see Hooke's Law. Elastic deformation is a change in shape of a material at low stress that is recoverable after the stress is removed.

This type of deformation involves stretching of the bonds, but the atoms do not slip past each other. If the stress is larger the atom sheets slide across each other but do not return to their original site. Explain why metals can conduct electricity. Metals conduct electricity because they have delocalised electrons. Atomic Structure 1. The link between metallic bonding and the properties of metals Metals have high melting and boiling points There are many strong metallic bonds in giant metallic structures A lot of heat energy is needed to overcome forces and break these bonds Metals conduct electricity There are free electrons available to move and carry charge Electrons entering one end of the metal cause a delocalised electron to displace itself from the other end Hence electrons can flow so electricity is conducted Metals are malleable and ductile Layers of positive ions can slide over one another and take up different positions Metallic bonding is not disrupted as the valence electrons do not belong to any particular metal atom so the delocalised electrons will move with them Metallic bonds are thus not broken and as a result metals are strong but flexible They can be hammered and bent into different shapes without breaking.

Summary Table of the Physical Properties of Metals. Metals and nonmetals The Periodic Table contains over different elements They can be divided into two broad types: metals and nonmetals Most of the elements are metals and a small number of elements display properties of both types.

These elements are called metalloids or semimetals.