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I/GCSE Chemistry- Electric Conductivity (1/2)

Electrons flow and energy

August 20, 2021

In this I/GCSE Chemistry blog post, we will be looking at the electrical coductitvity of metals as part 1.

Electric current is a flow of electrons or Ions

  • Electrons have a negative charge
  • Ions can have either a negative or positive charge
  • Electrons and ions act as charge carriers- they can move charge around a system to create a flow of electricity
  • The electric current is the flow of the electrons or ions

Ionic compounds only conduct eletricity when molten or in solution 

  • Ionic compounds are made of a lattice of positive and negative ions
  • Solid ionic compounds don't conduct elecricity, because their ions aren't free to move around
  • When an ionic compound is dissolved the ions seperate and are free to move in solution- this means they'll carry electric current and so conduct electricity 
  • When an ionic compound melts, the ions are also free to move and will carry an electric current

Most metals are Malleable

  • The layers of atoms in metal can slide over each other mkaing metals malleable- this means they can be hammer or rolled into flat sheets

That is all for part 1!

References:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quora.com%2FHow-does-electricity-travel-along-a-wire-Does-it-pass-through-the-inside-of-the-wire-or-along-the-outside-of-the-wire&psig=AOvVaw3VoD_j4ze7uwDA546P3q2A&ust=1629520333551000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCKD68LfivvICFQAAAAAdAAAAABAII/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Figcse-chemistry-2017.blogspot.com%2F2017%2F07%2F143-know-that-ionic-compounds-do-not.html&psig=AOvVaw1FiD4pKDvTTR_IkX5W5yAi&ust=1629520665601000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCJjVs9bjvvICFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD