A workshop presses equal-sized discs made from a pure metal and from an alloy. A larger force is needed to press the alloy disc into a new shape.
What is the reason for this?
Larger molecules in the alloy produce stronger intermolecular forces between the layers.
Atoms of different sizes disrupt the layers, so the layers slide less easily.
Covalent bonds in the alloy join the metal ions together in rigid pairs.
The alloy has no delocalised electrons, so all its ions become fixed in place.
122 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Chemistry 2.3 Properties of materials, covering 2.3.1 Carbon bonding and the variety of organic compounds, 2.3.2 Diamond, graphite, fullerenes and graphene, 2.3.3 Bond strength, changes of state and predicting states, 2.3.4 Bulk properties and types of bonding, and 2.3.5 Nanoparticles: scale, surface area, uses and risks. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.