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Elements have two bands.
One is Valence band and other is Conduction band.
Valence band contains electrons whereas the conduction band is empty.
The energy gap between them is called the forbidden gap.
In case of metals, this gap is very small or the bands overlap.
Therefore, the electrons are able to jump from the valence band to the conduction band and hence metal are able to conduct electricity and they are generally conductors.
In case of Non-Metals, the energy gap is very large and hence hence electrons are not able to move from valence band to conduction band.
Hence they are insulators.
But in case of elements like Silicon, Germanium this gap is between Metals and Non-Metals, hence few electrons are able to move from valence band to conduction band. Therefore they have some conductivity but it is low and hence they are called semiconductors.
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What do scientists classify silicon as?
a semiconductor
Why is silicon a good conductor of electricity?
Silicon is not a good conductor. It is a semiconductor.
What is silicon an alkali metal alkaline-earth metal transition metal or a semiconductor?
"semiconductor"
Why silicon is the more semiconductor than germanium?
Silicon is more semiconductor than Germanium because the characteristics of silicon can be easily modified to obtain either a p-type or n-type material.
What is the most common metalloid used as a semiconductor?
Silicon
What is the most familiar semiconductor?
silicon and germanium
Is silicon a conducter?
Silicon is a semiconductor
Is silicon a semiconductor?
Yes,silicon and germanium are semiconductors.
Is pure silicon an insulator?
Pure silicon is a semiconductor.
Is silicon semiconductor?
Yes
What semiconductor material is used to make transistors?
* silicon * germanium * gallium arsenide * etc.
What semiconductor is used in calculators?
Silicon based semiconductors are the most commonly used semiconductor material in calculators. Silicon semiconductors are also extensively used in computers.
What semiconductor is used in computers?
Silicon.
Why semiconductor is useful?
silicon is useful
What do scientists classify silicon as?
a semiconductor
Why is silicon a good conductor of electricity?
Silicon is not a good conductor. It is a semiconductor.
How is n-type and p-type formed?
When in intrinsic semiconductor (pure silicon) addition of small amount of impurity of group V elements (arsenic, antimony, phosphorous) makes N-type semiconductor. V group elements provides one extra electron to silicon atom. so this makes negative charge and majority of electrons. so its called N-type.. And in P-type when in pure silicon addition of small amount of impurity of group III elements (boron, aluminum) makes the P-type. by adding IIIrd group elements they they accepts the electrons from the silicon atom since its trivalent elements so there will be vacancy of 1 electron in silicon lattice resulting the formation of "hole". This makes semiconductor positive charged semiconductor called P-type.
