1. Topic
Metallic bonding
Level
GCSE (or any course for students aged 14-16)
Outcomes
Label a diagram of a metallic lattice to include metal cations surrounded by a sea of delocalised electrons with a balancing number of bonding electrons
Know that a metallic bond is the electrostatic attraction between delocalised electrons and positive cations
Know that bonding holds the lattice structure together
Know that the positive cations will attract and be attracted by electrons from surrounding atoms (as well as its own)
Use the model of a metallic lattice to explain conductivity and malleability
Information for teachers
These diagnostic questions have been created to see whether students hold any erroneous ideas about
metallic bonding. Different questions could be used in different lessons, or they could be used together to diagnose
understanding during a sequence of lessons so that feedback can take place. Students can answer questions
working alone, or they can be used as an opportunity to encourage discussion so that you can listen for learning
and then respond. Answers are provided in the notes section below each slide.
Many of the ideas used to create these questions were taken from this excellent paper:
Taber, K. S. (2003). Mediating mental models of metals: Acknowledging the priority of the learner's prior
learning. Science Education, 87(5),
Thanks to all those chemistry teachers who provided feedback for this task. Any mistakes that remain are mine.
Other resources
Other resources on chemical bonding are here:
| resources for science teachers who like to think

2. Metal atoms are bonded together by: covalent bonds ionic bonds
metallic bonds
elements such as Fe don’t have bonds c)
Fe metal

3. This model of magnesium is inaccurate because:
delocalised electron
This model of magnesium is inaccurate because:
the cations should be smaller than the electrons
there should be one delocalised electron for every cation
there should be two delocalised electrons for every cation
none of the above 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ c) 2+ 2+ 2+

4. Which of the following statements are false about this equation?
2 Na + Cl2  2 NaCl
Only the products have chemical bonding
Only the reactants have chemical bonding
Only compounds have chemical bonding
The reactants and products have chemical bonding
a) b) c)
Na metal

5. a) b) c) Which diagram best represents metallic bonding? + + + - - - -
electrostatic attraction a) - +
electrostatic attraction
electrostatic attraction b) - - b) + c)
electrostatic attraction -

6. Sodium metal is written as: Na Na+ Na2+

7. Magnesium metal conducts electricity because:
the cations are free to move and carry the charge
the delocalised electrons are free to move and carry the charge
the cations and delocalised electrons are free to move and carry the charge 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ b) 2+ 2+ 2+

8. When a metal is not conducting electricity:
electrons are associated with specific atoms
electrons are free to move throughout the lattice, in all directions
electrons don’t move 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ b) 2+ 2+ 2+

9. This diagram best explains why metals are: malleable hard shiny+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
This diagram best explains why metals are:
malleable
hard
shiny
Force + + + + + + + + + + + + a)

10. When a force is applied to a metal:
the layers of cations slide past each other
the atoms are malleable and can be squashed
the sea of delocalised electrons can be squashed a)

11. metallic bonds are broken electrons and ions move together in layers+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Which statement best describes what happens when a force is applied to a metal:
the layers of metal ions move relative to each other within the delocalised sea of electrons
metallic bonds are broken
electrons and ions move together in layers
Force + + + + + + + + + + + + a)
Metallic bonds are not broken as cations are not bonded to specific electrons so answer can’t be b.
Electrons are not localised to specific ions so answer can’t be c.

12. Metals are shiny because: metal atoms are shiny electrons are shiny
metal atoms absorb and reemit specific wavelengths of light c)