When two metal atoms are close to each other, their __________ orbitals __________ and they can share __________.
help me fill in the blanks please
I think your teacher is aiming for a description of the metallic bond. I rather doubt just two atoms can form that.
outer, merge, conduction electrons (sometimes called delocalized, or free)
If I don't put much faith in the word "metals" then I might go with outer, overlap, electrons. Answering a question like this is almost like looking for a needle in a haystack.
When two metal atoms are close to each other, their outermost orbitals, known as valence orbitals, interact and they can share electrons.
To fill in the blanks, we need to understand a few concepts:
1. Orbital: In chemistry and physics, orbitals refer to the specific regions of space where electrons are likely to be found around an atomic nucleus. Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons.
2. Valence orbitals: These are the outermost orbitals of an atom that participate in chemical bonding. The number and arrangement of valence electrons determine an atom's chemical properties.
3. Interact: When two atoms are close to each other, the electronic orbitals around their nuclei can overlap, leading to interactions between the electrons of the two atoms.
4. Share electrons: When the valence orbitals of two metal atoms overlap, their electrons can be shared between the atoms, forming a chemical bond known as a covalent bond.
Now, let's fill in the blanks based on the given information:
When two metal atoms are close to each other, their (outermost / valence) orbitals (interact) and they can (share) electrons.
Therefore, the completed sentence would be:
"When two metal atoms are close to each other, their valence orbitals interact and they can share electrons."