From this list of terms-electrical conductor, insulator,...

Name: Problem 49, Chapter 11: General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications
Uploaded: 2021-03-13T08:52:06-08:00
Duration: 2 min 5 s
Channel: Shazia Naz
Description: From this list of terms-electrical conductor, insulator, semiconductor- -choose the one that best characterizes each of the following materials: (a) stainless steel; (b) solid sodium chloride; (c) sulfur; (d) germanium; (e) seawater; (f) solid iodine.

From this list of terms-electrical conductor, insulator, semiconductor- -choose the one that best characterizes each of the following materials: (a) stainless steel; (b) solid sodium chloride; (c) sulfur; (d) germanium; (e) seawater; (f) solid iodine.

Key Concepts

Electrical Conductor

Electrical conductors are materials that allow the free flow of electric charge due to the presence of delocalized electrons or ions. Their atomic structure permits electrons to move easily under an electric field, resulting in low electrical resistance and efficient current flow. Metals, for example, are typical conductors because their outer electrons are loosely bound and can move freely throughout the material.

Electrical Insulator

Electrical insulators are materials that inhibit the flow of electric charge, essentially because their electrons are tightly bound to their atoms and there are few, if any, free carriers available for conduction. These materials exhibit high electrical resistance, making them ideal for preventing unwanted current flows in electrical systems, and they are used to protect users and sensitive components from harmful electrical currents.

Semiconductor

Semiconductors are materials that have an electrical conductivity level between that of conductors and insulators. Their ability to conduct electricity can be significantly altered by introducing impurities (doping) or by changing environmental factors such as temperature. This behavior is explained by band theory, where semiconductors possess a small energy gap between the valence band and the conduction band, allowing charge carriers to be excited under appropriate conditions.

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