Answer to Question #265305 in General Chemistry for Liya

Question

What causes the high electrical conductivity of metals ?

Answer 1

Electrical conductivity of metals represent their ability to conduct electricity and electric current consists of flow of electrons

Materials electron's seek to minimize the total energy in the material by settling into low energy states. The characteristic energy level upto which electrons have filled is called the Fermi level.

Only electrons in energy levels near or above the Fermi level are free to move within the broader material structure, since the electrons can easily jump among the partially occupied states in the region.

In metal there are many electrons energy levels near the Fermi level, so there are many electrons available to move.

This is what causes the high electrical conductivity of metals.