In general, metallic solids are ductile and malleable, whereas ionic salts are brittle and shatt

step 1 So we have metal solids that can form crystals where we have positively charged ions that occupy

In general, metallic solids are ductile and malleable,...

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Key Concepts

Metallic Bonding

Metallic bonding is characterized by a lattice of metal cations immersed in a ‘sea’ of delocalized electrons. This electron cloud allows the atoms to slide past one another when stress is applied, maintaining the bonding interactions and leading to properties like ductility and malleability.

Ionic Bonding

Ionic bonding involves the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions within a rigid, crystalline lattice. The strong, directional nature of these bonds means that any displacement of ions can quickly disrupt the balance, causing repulsive forces to dominate and resulting in a brittle structure.

Plastic Deformation Mechanisms

In metals, the delocalized electrons and non-directional bonds facilitate plastic deformation by allowing layers of atoms to slide over one another without breaking the metallic bond network. This flexibility is the basis for their ductility and malleability.

Brittleness in Ionic Solids

Ionic solids are brittle because their rigid structure relies on specific ion arrangements. When mechanical stress displaces ions so that like charges come into alignment, the resulting repulsion leads to rapid propagation of cracks, causing the material to shatter.

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