Current carriers in solid conductors are_____.

The correct answer is Free Electrons.

Key Points

• Current carriers in solid conductors are Free Electrons.
  • In solid conductors (e.g. metals), there are a large number of free electrons.
  • When an electric field (i.e. PD) is applied to the conductor, the free electrons start drifting in a particular direction to constitute that current.

Additional Information

• Some liquids are conductors of electricity.
  • A Conducting liquid is called an electrolyte (e.g. solution of CuSO₄).
  • In conducting liquids, ions (positive and negative) are the current carriers.
• Under ordinary conditions, gases are insulators.
  • However, when a gas under low pressure is subjected to a high electric field (i.e. high p.d.), Ionisation of in gases molecules takes place, i.e. electrons and positive ions are formed.
• Hence, current carriers in gases are free electrons and positive ions.