A company makes flexible electrical contacts from a mixture of copper and silver. Fig. 1 shows particles in the solid alloy. Both metals form positive ions,...
Question 1 Report
A company makes flexible electrical contacts from a mixture of copper and silver. Fig. 1 shows particles in the solid alloy. Both metals form positive ions, and their outer electrons become delocalised. The company tests whether the material can carry current after being bent 1000 times. The contact remains intact and its resistance changes only slightly.
(a) Name the bonding in the copper-silver alloy. [1]
(b) Describe what happens to electrons when copper and silver atoms form the alloy structure. [2]
(c) Explain why the alloy conducts electricity after it has been bent. [2]
(d) What is the term for a mixture of metals? [1]
Answer Details
(a) The alloy has metallic bonding. [1 mark]
(b) Outer electrons are released from the copper and silver atoms. They become delocalised, meaning they are free to move through the metal structure. [2 marks]
(c) When bent, layers of metal ions can move without breaking the metallic attraction. The delocalised electrons remain mobile and continue to carry charge, so the alloy still conducts. [2 marks]
(d) A mixture of metals is an alloy. [1 mark]
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