which single factor accounts for the ability of metals to conduct electricity and heat .....???? why are ionic solids poor conductors of electricity even if they are composed of charged particles?????
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2 Answers
106Metals can conduct heat or electricity because they have free electrons.
Ionic solids (in the solid state) are rigid, thus the electrons or ions are not free to move about but when they are fused (melted) or dissolved (solvated) then they conduct electricity due to free electrons as well as ions.
3steric factor also responsible for conduction but it is not the major one.
if a metal is more extensively hydrated in a solution then the conductivity will be low in solution as the size of the hydrated metal is large.
