What term describes a bond formed by the attraction between positively charged metal ions and the electrons around them?

• A. Single Bond
• B. Metallic Bonding
• C. Structural Formula
• D. Formula Unit

Answer: (B)

Metallic bonding describes the attraction between positively charged metal ions in a lattice and the delocalized electrons that move freely around them. In metals, some outer electrons are not tied to any specific atom and form a common electron sea that surrounds the cations. This “sea” of electrons holds the lattice together through electrostatic attraction, giving metals their characteristic properties like electrical conductivity and malleability. The other terms don’t describe this bonding: a single bond is a covalent bond between two atoms, a structural formula shows how atoms are connected, and a formula unit is the simplest whole-number ratio in an ionic compound.