Holes or electrons move which is it ..?

Question

in the question..How do conductors differ from insulators? some said electrons move , thats not quite right I think its the spaces(holes) that move where the electron was, the current flow will be in reverse of course ...disagree ?

Answer 1

Electrons are actually moving through the conductors to create a current. The holes are from what is called "conventional current" which is basically the "original" way that scientists began explaining these phenomena. By original, I mean, for example, no one really knows what is positive and what is negative, and it doesn't seem to matter. If Ben Franklin would called positive negative instead, then we would go with that assignment instead of the one we use, but since he did assign them that way, it is what we use, just as the original way that we began talking about current was using the positive "holes" instead of the electrons. Both are equally valid, but the electrons are the "things" that are actually moving.

Answer 2

For simplicity's sake assume that only electrons moves and a hole moves by having an electron fill it in and move to the spot that electron just came from.

But that has nothing to do with conductors or insulators, it describes semiconductors.

Most conductors have what's called an electron sea. This is where the electrons are allowed to freely move from the orbital of one atom to the next. This happens become because of Fermi levels and some of stuff you should read on (solid state physics is fun). Charged ions can also act as conductors as they do in water.

Insulators, however, require a large ionization energy before the electron can be freed and even then it is lost not conducted to the next atom/molecule. It's all about energy levels.

Answer 3

Conduction is when electrons move from atom to atom. The outermost electron is kind of "loose" on the atoms in a conductor and so can be pushed around by electric fields. All the electrons are tightly bound to their respective atoms in an insulator and cannot be pushed around.

Holes only exist in doped semiconductors, not in conductors or insulators. A hole is an atom that has one fewer electron than it really wants. An electric field can move electrons in a semiconductor, just like in a conductor. So when electrons move from an atom that has the number of electrons it wants to an atom that is one electron short, then the hole at that atom is now filled, but a new hole has been created at the atom that gave up the electron. So you could say that the hole is moving in the opposite direction that the electrons are, but a hole isn't a physical object, it is just the lack of an electron at a certain location.

Answer 4

conductors allow electrons to flow through them,and insulators don't

Answer 5

there are free electrons in conductors which are not attracted by protons and are free to move. but there is no free electron in insulators. and electrons move in conductors. they can move, why not!

Answer 6

Both theories have been taught. Stick with the one that is predominant in your field. Be aware of the other so you know how to interpret someones literature or talk if they do speak of it in that manner.