r15h4bh
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Moving around of valence electrons of metals
"The valence electrons can move around easily from one atom to another. These mobile electrons carry heat and electricity. Hence metals are good
conductors."
How can valence electrons simply move from one atom of the metal to another atom of the metal?! They're talking about when it's not formed a compound
right?
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D-glucose
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edit: I was wrong.
[Edited on 26-12-2012 by D-glucose]
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Oscilllator
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Quote: Originally posted by D-glucose  | | Hey, I like your enthusiasm for chemistry! But try not to flood the message board too much. research metallic bonding (orbitals also), It'll clear it
up. Put simply, metals tend to covalently share electrons in a lattice of atoms allowing electrons to flow freely around the central nucleus.
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I'm pretty sure the electrons aren't shared covalently, otherwhise you wouldget a covalent molecular lattice e.g. diamond, quartz.
@r15, yes they are talking about when It isn't in a compound.
The reason the electrons can move between the atoms is because the electrons are only weakly held by the atoms, they can move freely between them.
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r15h4bh
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I know I made a lot of threads, it's just that I've always been weak in Chemistry even though I love it so I have holidays and I'm trying to go a bit
back and sort out some basics. I always search the net for answers before asking a question but the net doesn't cater to an individual's level of
understanding, so if I go to Wikipedia or something then the complexity of the Wiki's just loses me at the first paragraph  So I just want to clear things up and if it's above my level then I don't mind leaving
it for later as otherwise I'd just be more confused. And I tend to have a lot of doubts 
So from what I understood, it's like the valence electrons are shared among all the atoms?
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D-glucose
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You're right, oscillator, what was i thinking  any way here is a cool link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallic_bond
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platedish29
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Just get used to the fact electrons ceases to exist.
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Hexavalent
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In metals, the electrons are delocalised and form 'seas' of electrons. Each electron does not 'belong' to a specific atom. This actually results in
metal ions being formed, but they are attracted very strongly towards the free electrons, meaning a great deal of energy is required to break said
bond, equating to a (generally) high melting point and boiling point.
These delocalised electrons are free to move around, and thus can conduct an electric current. Equally, as they are free to move around, they can
carry kinetic energy, and therefore conduct thermal energy too (by the electrons pounding into one another repeatedly, carrying their energy over the
entire 'sea').
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
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