Why Are Metals Malleable and Ductile?
Metals are malleable and ductile because they are made of hexagonal and cubic packed structures that can be moved by applying force to them. When force is applied, the atoms slide from one plane past atoms in a different plane.
The sliding of atoms when force is applied is the reason that metals can change their shapes. Since all things are made of atoms, including metal, the atoms must be moved in order to change the shape of the metal. Whether a metal is malleable, ductile or both, most metals are able to be changed with the use of force because their atoms are movable. In most, if not all metals, it is easier for the atoms to move when they are heated which is the reason that most metals are melted down or heated up before they are moved into a different shape.