How do alloys differ from pure metals?

Since pure metals only contain one kind of atom, they are considered elements because their metallic bonding is constant throughout.

Because the metallic bonding in alloys is not uniform throughout, they are stronger and behave differently from pure metals. Alloys are composed of a variety of metallic atoms.

As an illustration, consider steel, which is an alloy made of iron, carbon, and additional atoms like chromium. The carbon in steel gives it strength and flexibility over pure iron, and the chromium adds corrosion resistance, resulting in stainless steel.

Alloys are mixtures of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, and have properties different from those of the constituent elements. Pure metals, on the other hand, are composed of only one type of metal atom and have distinct properties from alloys.