Answer:
Malleability
Explanation:
Malleability is the capability of a substance, especially a metal, to be reshaped or molded into a different shape. For people in the field of chemistry, the malleability of a metal provides an important means of describing the specific features of a metal and relating it to the arrangement of the atoms within the metal.
Malleability in metals happens due to the metallic bonds that keep the atoms in place. Metallic bonds, is made up of a 'sea' of electrons that easily move from atom to another, allow the metal atoms to slide past each other if a force is applied. The force can come from a blow from a hammer, the impact from a fall, high pressure from being squeezed, or from a collision.
The degree of malleability differs widely among metals as well as mixtures of different metals, also known as alloys. Multiple factors can affect the malleability of a metal or alloy, but two fundamentally important factors are the strength of the metallic bond and the temperature.
