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

Question

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

The correct explanation for why lead is malleable lies in the nature of metallic bonding. The appropriate statement is:

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

In metallic bonding, the valence electrons are not bound to any specific atom but instead form a "sea of electrons" that are free to move throughout the lattice of positively charged metal ions. This delocalization allows the layers of atoms in the metal to slide over one another when subjected to stress, such as pounding. As a result, the metal can be shaped or flattened without breaking apart, which is the property we refer to as malleability.