Atomic Structure

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Metallic Bonding Noun

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[meh-tal-ik bon-ding]

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Metallic Bonding

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The electrostatic attraction between a lattice of positive metal ions and the surrounding sea of delocalized valence electrons.

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Example: This diagram shows how metal atoms form a lattice of positive ions held together by a 'sea' of shared, delocalized electrons that can move freely.

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Metal Lattice Noun

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[met-l lat-is]

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Metal Lattice

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A regular, repeating three-dimensional arrangement of positive metal ions held together by a sea of delocalized electrons.

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Example: This diagram shows a metal lattice, where positive metal ions (cations) are held in a fixed, orderly structure by a 'sea' of free-moving electrons.

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Valence Electrons Noun

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[vay-lents ee-lek-trons]

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Valence Electrons

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The electrons located in the outermost energy shell of an atom that are involved in forming chemical bonds.

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Example: This Bohr model of a Sodium atom shows electrons in shells. The single electron in the outermost shell is the valence electron.

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Metallurgy Noun

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[met-l-ur-jee]

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Metallurgy

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The science and technology focused on extracting metals from ores, refining them, and preparing them for practical use.

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Example: Metallurgy involves extracting metals from their ore. This diagram shows a furnace where ore and charcoal are heated to separate the metal.

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Ore Noun

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[or]

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Ore

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A naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be extracted for profit.

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Example: This image shows various sulphide minerals, like Galena (PbS), which are often mined as ores to extract valuable metals like lead (Pb).

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Alloy Noun

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[al-oi]

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Alloy

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A mixture containing two or more elements, where at least one is a metal, possessing characteristic metallic properties.

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Example: This image shows a book about alloys but does not visually explain the concept. An alloy is a mixture of metals, or a metal combined with other elements, at an atomic level.

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Karat Noun

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[kar-at]

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Karat

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A unit of measurement for the purity of gold, where 24 karats signifies 100% pure gold.

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Example: Karat (K) measures gold purity. An alloy like 18K gold is a solid mixture of gold atoms and other metal atoms, shown as a ratio.

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Bronze Noun

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[bronz]

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Bronze

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A metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, typically with tin as the main additive, known for its hardness.

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Example: This image illustrates a historical scene from the Bronze Age, showing people, a hut, and pottery, rather than the scientific properties of bronze.

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Brass Noun

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[bras]

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Brass

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A metal alloy made of copper and zinc, which is generally softer and shinier than bronze.

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Example: This image shows a toy trumpet and does not explain that brass is an alloy of copper and zinc atoms arranged in a crystal lattice.

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Steel Noun

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[steel]

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Steel

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An alloy of iron with a small amount of carbon, which significantly increases its strength and hardness.

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Example: This diagram shows steel is an alloy. Adding different atoms (yellow) to iron (blue) distorts the regular layers, making it harder for them to slide.