What type of structure do metal atoms form in a solid piece of the metal?
Metallic bonds are formed when large pieces of metal atoms are formed together. The bond itself is called an “electron sea,” where electrons are equally shared by all atoms in the metal, free to float about as water would in a bucket or… a water balloon. If you bend the metal, the electrons flow into the new position and hold, giving the metal it’s malleability or ductility, much like how the water balloon keeps a shape when squeezed. The structure itself is called an electron sea through a metallic bond.
