Pure sodium (Na) is a good conductor of electricity because the 3s and 3p atomic bands overlap to form a partially filled conduction band. By contrast the ionic sodium chloride (NaCl) crystal is

Question

Pure sodium (Na) is a good conductor of electricity because the 3s and 3p atomic bands overlap to form a partially filled conduction band. By contrast the ionic sodium chloride (NaCl) crystal is (A) Insulator (B) Conductor (C) Semiconductor (D) None of these

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

In sodium chloride the Na + and Cl - ions both have noble gas electron configuration corresponding to completely filled bands. Since the bands do not overlap, there must be a gap between the filled bands and the empty bands above them, so NaCl is an insulator.

Q. Pure sodium $(N a)$ is a good conductor of electricity because the $3 s$ and $3 p$ atomic bands overlap to form a partially filled conduction band. By contrast the ionic sodium chloride ( $N a Cl$ ) crystal is

Insulator

Conductor

Semiconductor

None of these

In sodium chloride the $N a^{+}$ and $C l^{-}$ ions both have noble gas electron configuration corresponding to completely filled bands. Since the bands do not overlap, there must be a gap between the filled bands and the empty bands above them, so $N a Cl$ is an insulator.

Q. Pure sodium (Na) is a good conductor of electricity because the 3s and 3p atomic bands overlap to form a partially filled conduction band. By contrast the ionic sodium chloride (NaCl) crystal is