Question

Describe electron theory of metals notes

Answer 1

The treatment of a metal as containing a gas of electrons completely free to move within it. The theory was originally proposed in 1900 to describe and correlate the electrical and thermal properties of metals. Later, quantum mechanics became the basis for the theory of most of the general properties of simple metals such as sodium, with one free electron per atom, magnesium with two, and aluminum with three. Transition metals, such as iron, have partially filled electronic d states and are not treated by the free-electron model.

Three years after J. J. Thomson's 1897 discovery of the electron, P. Drude suggested that the transport properties of metals might be understood by assuming that their electrons are free and in thermal equilibrium with their atoms. This theory was made more quantitative by H. A. Lorentz. Assuming that the mean free path of electrons was limited by collisions, he was able to derive Ohm's law for the electrical conductivity and obtain the ratio of thermal to electrical conductivity in excellent agreement with experiment. This ratio, divided by the absolute temperature, is called the Wiedemann-Franz ratio and had been observed to be universal 50 years earlier. 

Answer 2

by jj Thomson
Electrons are negatively charged
symbol e