Electrical conductivity

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/electrical-conductivity

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the conductivity symbol?Electrical conductivity is represented by the Greek letter sigma (σ)
2. Why do metals conduct electricity better than insulators?Metals have free electrons that can move easily, while insulators have tightly bound electrons that don’t move. The large energy gap in insulators stops electricity from flowing.
3. How does temperature affect the conductivity of a semiconductor?In semiconductors, heating or shining light can change how many electrons are free, so their conductivity changes. Adding impurities (doping) can also control it.

Charge Carriers: Particles within a material that carry an electric charge and enable current flow.
Doping: The intentional introduction of impurities into a semiconductor to alter its electrical conductivity.