Final answer:
Malleability refers to a material's ability to be deformed into thin sheets without breaking. Metals are malleable due to the presence of free-flowing electrons that act as a buffer between cations when stress is applied, in contrast to brittle materials like ionic compounds which shatter under force.
Step-by-step explanation:
The property of a material being hammered into thin sheets without shattering is known as malleability. Malleable materials, like metals, are able to deform under compressive stress. The classic example of a malleable metal is copper, which can be hammered into shapes, rolled into thin sheets, or pulled into wires. This behavior contrasts with materials that are brittle, like ionic compounds, which shatter upon the application of force because their like-charged ions repel one another when forced too close together. Metals are malleable because they have 'free-flowing electrons' that act as a buffer between metal cations under stress, much like oil-coated ball bearings sliding past each other without the bearings coming into contact.