Why is copper used extensively in electrical wiring in homes and industrial machinery?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Copper is an exceptional electrical conductor and is ductile enough to be drawn into thin wires
- Step 1: Copper has high electrical conductivity due to mobile delocalised electrons. Step 2. Its metallic structure makes it ductile (drawn into wires) and corrosion-resistant. Answer: Copper is an exceptional electrical conductor and is ductile enough to be drawn into thin wires. Why not the others: High reactivity or low melting points would be dangerous in wiring.
Practise more Chemical Reactivity, Bonding, Structure and Organic Chemistry.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed National Certificate of Educational Achievement mock tests.
More Chemical Reactivity, Bonding, Structure and Organic Chemistry questions
- What is the electron configuration of a neutral sodium atom (atomic number 11), and what ion does it form?
- Why do solid ionic compounds like sodium chloride (NaCl) not conduct electricity, whereas molten or aqueous NaCl conducts readily?
- What type of bonding exists within a diamond crystal, and why does diamond have an exceptionally high melting point?
- Why does graphite conduct electricity whereas diamond does not, even though both are allotropes of pure carbon?
- What gas is produced when dilute hydrochloric acid reacts with calcium carbonate (marble chips)?
- According to collision theory, why does increasing the temperature of a reaction mixture increase the rate of reaction?