Difference between an element and an alloy
Answers
By definition, pure metals consist of a single element. Samples of these metals contain nothing but atoms of a single metallic substance. Alloys contain two or more elements or alloys melted and blended together, so their chemical formulas consist of more than one element.
Answer:
By definition, pure metals consist of a single element. Samples of these metals contain nothing but atoms of a single metallic substance. Alloys contain two or more elements or alloys melted and blended together, so their chemical formulas consist of more than one element
Metals are pure substances which exist in elemental form whereas alloys are mixture of two or more metals.
Metals have metallic bonding between the atoms - the metal cation forms a crystal lattice and the electrons present exist as free electron. There exists an Ionic force of attraction between the metal cation and the free electrons resulting in a metallic bond. In case of alloys, a solid solution of the metals are formed with one metal being the solvent and the rest be solutes. The solvent metal forms the crystal lattice while the solutes occupy interstitial/vacancy sites.
Alloys of varying compositions and components are formed to achieve desirable properties which are not available in the pure elemental form of a metal.
Metals have a fixed melting point whereas alloys do not solidify at a fixed point, they have a solidification temperature range.