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Difficulty: EasyConductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors

Which of the following atomic characteristics explains why metals such as copper and silver are classified as good electrical conductors?

  1. A
    They have tightly bound outer electrons that cannot migrate between atoms.
  2. B
    They possess an outer shell with exactly four valence electrons in a crystal grid.
  3. They have loosely held valence electrons that move freely from atom to atom.Answer
  4. D
    They exhibit high electrical resistivity that opposes the flow of electric charge.

Answer

They have loosely held valence electrons that move freely from atom to atom.
Electrical conductors such as copper, silver, and gold have few electrons in their outermost shell that are held loosely by the nucleus. These free electrons move easily from one atom to another when a voltage is applied, permitting electric current to flow with minimal resistance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the atomic structure of electrical conductors.
Conductors like copper, silver, and aluminum typically have only one or two valence electrons in their outermost shell.
Understanding atomic structure determines how easily charges can move through a material.
2
Determine how these valence electrons behave under an applied electrical potential.
Because these outer electrons are loosely bound to the nucleus, small electromotive forces cause them to drift freely across the lattice as electric current.
This free electron mobility is what defines high electrical conductivity.

Key Concept

Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors

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