Do metallic bonds comprise of atoms or ions?

Question

For instance in a lump of copper can it be said that the material comprises copper ions or copper atoms? Any help appreciated.

Answer 1

Quote Wikipedia: Metallic bonding is the bonding within metals. It involves the delocalized sharing of free electrons among a lattice of metal atoms

I think this answers your question

Answer 2

Neither. Bonds are electrostatic attraction/repulsions composed of electrons being at a certain energy level and interacting in the valence shell between two atomic centers so the two centers are "glued" so to speak to each other. As for your question, I don't know, it doesn't really make sense as worded, but I would assume you mean "Is it okay to call a metal nucleus an atom or an ion??" Depends, if it is relevant then you would consider the atom as an ion (unless the metal atom is not ionized, in which case it would be an atom, not an ion)..but you could still refer to the metal nucleus as an atom regardless of ionization

Answer 3

Metallic bonds explain why metals are malleable and why they conduct electricity.

Of course metals are atoms, and when they occur in large numbers, the electrons of the valence shells act in a fluid manner. that is, the electrons are released from the individual atoms, but are still found within the body of the metal 'lump'.

See this great site to explain more:
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/atoms/bonding...

Answer 4

atoms
as they have mobile electrons revolving around the shells