Final answer:
The malleability and ductility of metals can be explained by their unique atomic structure with a sea of delocalized electrons, which allows ions to slide past each other,
Step-by-step explanation:
We can infer about the structure of metals due to the fact that they are malleable and ductile. Metals have a unique arrangement of atoms with a crystalline structure consisting of positive ions surrounded by a 'sea' of delocalized electrons.
This structure allows the ions to slide past each other without breaking the metallic bond when a force is applied, which is why metals can be bent into different shapes or drawn into wires without fracturing.
The malleability and ductility of metals are attributed to this ability to deform under stress without breaking, thanks to the flexibility provided by the mobile electrons.
Conductivity and malleability are significant properties that result from this structure. As metals are composed of atoms with loosely held outer electrons, these electrons can flow freely throughout the metal lattice, making metals excellent conductors of heat and electricity.
The malleable nature of metals, enabling them to be flattened into sheets, and their ductility, allowing them to be stretched into wires, are key characteristics that differentiate metals from brittle ionic compounds.