Which statement best describes metallic bonding?

Which statement best describes metallic bonding?

• A. Bond between a metal and a non-metal with electron transfer
• B. Covalent bond formed between non-metals sharing electrons
• C. Ionic bond due to electrostatic attraction between ions
• D. Bond resulting from the attraction between metal cations and a sea of electrons

Answer: (D)

Metallic bonding is the attraction between the positively charged metal ions arranged in a lattice and the surrounding sea of delocalized electrons that move freely. The electrons aren’t tied to any one atom, so they flow through the structure and hold the ions together by electrostatic attraction. This description fits what metallic bonding is about, unlike descriptions of ionic bonds formed by electron transfer or covalent bonds formed by sharing electrons between nonmetals.

Metallic bonding is the attraction between the positively charged metal ions arranged in a lattice and the surrounding sea of delocalized electrons that move freely. The electrons aren’t tied to any one atom, so they flow through the structure and hold the ions together by electrostatic attraction. This description fits what metallic bonding is about, unlike descriptions of ionic bonds formed by electron transfer or covalent bonds formed by sharing electrons between nonmetals.