AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462), Higher tier · Bonding, structure and the properties of matter › Chemical bonds: ionic, covalent and metallic
Practise Metallic bonding. 12 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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Metals have metallic bonding. What are delocalised electrons?
Electrons that are free to move through the whole structure.
The electronic structure of magnesium is 2,8,2. In magnesium metal, the outer electrons of each atom are delocalised. What is the charge on the positive ions in magnesium metal?
2+
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy4 marks
Metals have metallic bonding.
(a) Complete the sentence. Tick (✓) one box. Metals consist of giant structures of atoms arranged in a ................[1]
random pattern
regular pattern
single layer
small molecule
(b) What are delocalised electrons?[1]
(c) Which electrons become delocalised in a metal? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
All of the electrons
Electrons in the inner shells
Electrons in the outer shell
One electron from every ten atoms
(d) Are metallic bonds strong or weak?[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: regular pattern
(b)Answer: Electrons that are free to move through the whole structure.
electrons that are free to move (through the whole structure)
(c)Answer: Electrons in the outer shell
(d)Answer: strong
strong
Question 2Medium5 marks
The electronic structure of magnesium is 2,8,2. In magnesium metal, the outer electrons of each atom are delocalised.
(a) What is the charge on the positive ions in magnesium metal?[1]
(b) How many delocalised electrons are there in a piece of magnesium that contains 5000 atoms?[1]
(c) The positive ions in a metal repel each other. Explain why the structure does not fall apart.[2]
(d) Magnalium is an alloy of magnesium and aluminium. What type of bonding is present in magnalium?[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: 2+
2+
(b)Answer: 10 000
10 000
(c)Answer: The delocalised electrons are attracted to all the positive ions; this strong electrostatic attraction holds the ions together.
the (negative) delocalised electrons attract the positive ions
this (strong) electrostatic attraction holds the structure together / is stronger than the repulsion
(d)Answer: metallic
metallic
Question 3Hard4 marks
Magnesium metal and magnesium oxide both have giant structures. Magnesium conducts electricity when solid; magnesium oxide does not.
Compare the bonding in magnesium with the bonding in magnesium oxide.[4]
Show the answer and mark scheme
Answer: Both contain Mg2+ ions held in giant structures by strong electrostatic attraction. In magnesium the attraction is between the ions and delocalised electrons, which are free to move; in magnesium oxide it is between Mg2+ and O2− ions, which are fixed in place in the solid.
both contain positive magnesium ions (Mg2+) in a giant structure
in both, the bonding is a strong electrostatic attraction
in magnesium, the attraction is between the positive ions and delocalised electrons
in magnesium oxide, the attraction is between oppositely charged ions (Mg2+ and O2−) / electrons have been transferred to oxygen
the delocalised electrons in magnesium are free to move (so it conducts), but the ions in solid magnesium oxide are fixed in place (so it does not)