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Difficulty: EasyConductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors

Materials are categorized by their ability to facilitate or oppose the movement of electrical charge. Arrange the following substances in order from greatest electrical conductivity (easiest electron flow) to least electrical conductivity (highest electrical resistance).

  1. 1Aluminum wire
  2. 2Silicon wafer
  3. 3Glass sheet

Answer

Aluminum wire, Silicon wafer, Glass sheet
The correct sequence begins with Aluminum wire because metals are good conductors with low resistivity due to their sea of free electrons. Silicon wafer comes next because it is a semiconductor with four valence electrons, exhibiting moderate electrical conductivity. Glass sheet comes last because it is an insulator with a wide bandgap and tightly bound electrons, preventing current flow under normal operating conditions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the electrical classification of each listed material.
Aluminum wire is a conductor, Silicon wafer is a semiconductor, and Glass sheet is an insulator.
Electrical classification defines how easily electrons move through a material's atomic structure.
2
Rank the materials according to their relative ability to conduct electric current from highest to lowest.
Conductor (Aluminum wire) > Semiconductor (Silicon wafer) > Insulator (Glass sheet).
Conductors have freely moving valence electrons, semiconductors have moderate carrier concentrations, and insulators hold their valence electrons tightly to impede electron flow.

Key Concept

Relative electrical conductivity of conductors, semiconductors, and insulators based on atomic structure.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Conductors, Insulators, and Semiconductors

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