Final answer:
Steel is a crystalline alloy with regular repeating patterns of atoms, formed by the metallic bonding between iron, carbon, and a sea of delocalized electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Steel is an alloy that primarily consists of iron and carbon and has an organized atomic structure. The arrangement of atoms in the electron sea form a crystalline alloy, characterized by regular repeating patterns of atoms. Such a pattern in metals is referred to as a crystal lattice, which has a well-defined three-dimensional arrangement. Metallic bonds are responsible for holding the atoms in this orderly pattern and are the result of the attraction between the positively charged metal ions and the sea of delocalized electrons that surround them. This metallic bonding accounts for the characteristic properties of metals, including steel, such as high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability.