Metals are incredibly versatile substances. They are strong and shiny and can be shaped into virtually any form. But sometimes, we need metals with specific properties that pure metals do not have. This is where alloys come in! Alloys are mixtures of metals that have been created to enhance certain properties, like strength. In this note, we'll learn about the structure of alloys and why they are stronger than pure metals.

In a pure metal, all the cations (positively charged ions) in the metallic lattice (structure) are of the same size. This means that when a force is applied to the metal, the layers of cations can easily slide past each other. This property makes metals malleable - meaning they can be shaped into different forms without breaking.

🌍 Real-world Example: Imagine a block of butter. When you spread it on toast, it slides smoothly because all the particles in the butter are roughly the same size and can easily slide past each other. This is similar to what happens in pure metals.

Alloying is the process of adding atoms or ions of different sizes to the cations of a pure metal. These atoms or ions, called alloying elements, disrupt the regular structure of the lattice because they are not the same size as the original cations.

🌍 Real-world Example: Imagine trying to spread a mix of butter and peanut chunks on your toast. The peanut chunks disrupt the smooth sliding of the butter. Similarly, in an alloy, the added atoms or ions disrupt the easy sliding of cations.