Essential Chemistry for IGCSE - Metals And Reactivity (Section 5 - No. 39)
What is the primary structural reason alloys are often harder and stronger than their constituent metals?
They have lower melting points.
The atoms are arranged randomly.
The different-sized atoms disrupt the regular atomic packing.
Alloys are less dense.
Explanation
The differing atomic sizes in an alloy disrupt the regular arrangement of atoms, making it harder for layers to slide past each other, hence making the alloy harder.
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