Question

Lead is malleable, so it can be pounded into flat sheets without breaking. How does the bonding within lead help to explain this property?

Metallic bonds involve valence electrons that are removed from one atom and given to another, so the pounding helps the electrons move.
Covalent bonds involve valence electrons that are shared between two metal atoms, so the bonds are strong enough to resist the pounding.
Metallic bonds involve many valence electrons shared by many atoms, so the bonds can move around as the metal is pounded.
Covalent bonds involve valence electrons that are removed from one atom and given to another, so the pounding helps the electrons move.

Answer 1

Correct answer:
Metallic bonds involve many valence electrons shared by many atoms, so the bonds can move around as the metal is pounded.

Explanation: In metals like lead, valence electrons are delocalized in an "electron sea" around positive metal ions. Those ions can slide past one another under stress without breaking the overall bonding network, so the metal is malleable. The other choices describe ionic or covalent bonding incorrectly.