Why is sodium softer than copper but both are good conductor?

In case of copper the number of delocalized electron is larger than the sodium and also the metallic radius of sodium is more than that of copper so sodium is softer than the copper. But both are good conductor of Electricity due to availability of free electrons.

Why copper wire is a good conductor of electricity?

Copper is a metal made up of copper atoms closely packed together. The electrons can move freely through the metal. For this reason, they are known as free electrons. They are also known as conduction electrons, because they help copper to be a good conductor of heat and electricity.

Why is solid sodium a good conductor of electricity?

Solid sodium is good conductors of electricity as in sodium there is no band gap between the valence band and conduction band as they overlap with each other. The electrons are continuously available in the closed orbital which can conduct electricity. Therefore, the ionic crystal of sodium chloride is an Insulator.

Is sodium a good conductor or poor conductor of heat and electricity?

The metal sodium is indeed a good conductor of heat and electricity. It is a soft, silver-white element. The atoms of sodium share a metallic bonding which involves the presence of delocalized electrons surrounding the positive ions. These electrons carry current thus allowing the metal to conduct electricity.

Is sodium metal a conductor or insulator?

Sodium is a good conductor of electricity because it is a metal and metals always are good conductors of electricity.

Why is sodium not used in electrical wires?

Long-time Slashddot reader Rei writes: On the face of it, sodium seems like about the worst thing you could make a wire out of — it oxidizes rapidly in air, releases hot hydrogen gas in water, melts at 97.8 degrees Centigrade, and has virtually no tensile strength.

Why sodium in both the solid and molten form is a good conductor of electricity whereas sodium in the gaseous state is a poor conductor of electricity?

Sodium’s sea of delocalized electrons among the unipositive ions present in the structure is what gives it its conductivity. These delocalized electrons are present in both a solid and molten state, therefore sodium can conduct electricity in both states.

Is sodium an electrical conductor?

Sodium metal can be easily cut with a knife and is a good conductor of electricity and heat because it has only one electron in its valence shell, resulting in weak metallic bonding and free electrons, which carry energy.

Why is sodium chloride a good conductor of electricity but does not have any effect on litmus solution?

So the solution is must be a solution of neutral electrolyte. For example NaCl is a neutral electrolyte which has no effect on litmus paper and the solution of NaCl conduct electricity as NaCl ionises to its constituent ions.

Is Salt a good conductor of electricity?

For example, solid sodium chloride (NaCl, or table salt) does not conduct electricity; it is an insulator. There will be virtually no current flowing as water is a very poor conductor of electricity. Add a substance that will dissociate into ions (an “electrolyte”), such as table salt, and current will flow.