In: Chemistry
What does it mean when it is said that the electrons in metal metal bonds are delocalized?
The correct answer of this question is that the valence electrons of the metal atoms move between the shared orbitals of the atoms. The millions of metal atoms crowding together which will result that the molecular orbitals will be combined most likely is the formation of localized valence electrons where the electrons are called the "electron sea". It is a characteristic of compounds that are held together by metallic bonding. Thus, the position of the valence electrons will not fixed in a definite orbital therefore it can be said that the electrons in metal metal bonds are delocalized.