Final answer:
It is true that in the electron sea model, metals are described as consisting of metallic cations surrounded by delocalized valence electrons that form a 'sea' around the cations, enabling their distinctive properties like electrical conductivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the electron sea model, it is true that metals consist of metallic cations surrounded by delocalized valence electrons. In this model, the metallic cations are stationary within a crystal lattice and are surrounded by a 'sea' of mobile valence electrons that are not associated with any one particular cation. These delocalized electrons are capable of moving throughout the entire crystal, contributing to the metallic properties, such as conductivity and malleability.
Delocalized electrons are essential to the metallic bond, which is characterized by a lattice of positive metal ions in a sea of these free-moving electrons. This bond is what gives metals their unique properties, different from ionic or covalent bonded materials, and is responsible for the high electrical and thermal conductivity of metals. The variation in the number of valence electrons contributing to this 'sea' affects the hardness and melting points of different metals.