Metallic bond

Definition

A metallic bond is the shared pool of free electrons drifting between fixed lattice atoms that holds a metal together as one solid thing.

That shared pool is the glue that makes steel stiff and lets copper bend without snapping. When an oxidizer drains the pool, the bond weakens and the lattice loses cohesion. Atoms then leave the lattice as ions, ending the metal as a structure.

Related concepts

Destructive oxidation · Structural collapse of metals (rust formation)

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Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🧱 materials