Which property is indicative of stronger metallic bonding?

Stronger metallic bonding is indicated by more delocalized electrons within the metal structure. Metallic bonding arises from the electrostatic attraction between positively charged metal ions and the sea of delocalized electrons that are free to move throughout the structure. When there are more delocalized electrons, the stronger the bond between the metal ions becomes, resulting in greater cohesion, higher melting and boiling points, and enhanced electrical conductivity.

The presence of more delocalized electrons enhances the overall stability of the metallic structure, as these electrons can contribute to bonding in a way that supports greater metallic character. In contrast, the size of the metal ions, the electronegativity of the metal, or the surface area of the metal does not directly correlate with the strength of metallic bonding in the same way that the quantity of delocalized electrons does.