Luster of metals.?

Question

Why all metals are luster? I read some information before which said metals are luster because of their electrons sea. Is that right? If so, who can tell me the details about it.

What I want to know is why metal can reflect all wavelengh of visible light, while its ion absorbs some of them.

I found the answer....
http://science.howstuffworks.com/light10.htm
Who could add some additional details would be my best answer.

Answer 1

I like the description of an 'electron sea.' Metals are excellent conductors of electricity because they contain a virtual cloud of loosely held electrons that are free to migrate under electrical pressure (voltage). Light photons are mass-less packets of pure energy that can interact with the orbital electrons of elements and molecules, kicking them up into higher more energetic orbits. New photons are emitted when the electrons return to rest states in one or more steps (causing one or more new photons). Photons may interact with the electrons of transparent matter (glass, etc.) without being substantially changed. Photons may also interact and be reflected by a mirror again without substantial change (to the image). Photons may be totally absorbed by electrons of a black body or totally reflected by a white body (all colors) or partially absorbed giving rise to the color of an object (due to the photon wavelengths that are not absorbed). Metals have their distinctive luster due to a characteristic interaction of the photons with a sea of loosely held electrons (likely quite different than the interaction with electrical insulators that have a sparse supply of loosely held electrons but many closely held electrons nonetheless).

Answer 2

Your link is informative and correct. The reflectance is a property of the sea of electrons, which is why you don't get it with the individual ions.

Semiconductors (metalloids, remember?) also show luster in the visible region, where the light energy is enough to lift electrons to the empty conduction band, and they then just drop straight down again reemitting the light.

Answer 3

All metals have a luster, because that is what we call this property they have when light hits them, and what we observe about them. Scientists have redefined Luster as a description of the way light interacts with the surface of a crystal, rock, or mineral.

Answer 4

There are two sorts of reflection: diffuse reflection and specular reflection. Diffuse reflection is when light rays hit a rough surface, and the light bounces EVERYWHERE. When the light is reflected everywhere, it doesn't look shiny, or lustrous--this is because not enough light is being reflected into your eyes. In specular reflection, the surface is flat and perfect, and the light that hits the surface all bounces in the SAME direction. When all the light travels in the same direction, it all enters your eyes. When the light hits the metal, the reason why a metal would have lustre is because its surface is smooth and perfect (or smooth and flat enough), so the light that hits it is reflected in the same direction and most of the rays enter your eyes. The smoother the surface, the more reflective it is, baby!