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Question

why does conductivity of semiconductors increases while that of metal decreases

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Solution

The conductivity of a pure free metal decreases with increase in temperature. This isbecause thermal energy causes atoms to vibrate and make them to go to excited state.In the excited state these atoms interact and scatter electrons. This reduces the mean freepath and the mobility of electrons decreases, thus resistivity increases. So more the resistivityless will be the conductivity.The conductivity of semiconductor increases with increase in temperature. This is due to the reason thatthe electrrons in the valence band gain energy and move to higher energy conduction band and they become charge carriers.

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