in order for a substance to conduct electricity it must have how many charged particles?

Answer 1

For a substance to conduct electricity, the electrons are only required to move. Electrons are the negative-charged particles. Therefore, even an electron is enough to conduct electricity.

However, as we all know, metals are a good electric conductor, and of course metals have more than one electrons.

So, it does not really matter the quantity of the electrons. What does matter is if the electrons could really move.

From where to where the electrons move may not be the interest of yours, but you may surprise to hear that plastic which used to be the insulator could now conducts electric too by doping it. =)

Answer 2

It has to do with the separation of the valence band and conduction band. Insulators have a large gap between the valence and conduction band. Semiconductors have a small gap, on the order of 1 to 5 eV. Conductors have no gap between the valence band and conduction band.

An electron needs to gain energy to move from the valence band (standard orbit around an atom) to the conduction band.

But if an insulator is charged, it will conduct when the electric field exceeds the dielectric strength of the material. For insulators to conduct, it's not a matter of how many electrons. It's the voltage across it. Any insulator can be made to conduct if the electric field is strong enough.

Conductors will conduct electricity with even the slightest electric field applied. So, in effect, the minimum number of charged particles required is one.

Answer 3

all things can be conductors of electricity but basically there are good conductors and there are bad conductors, which is commonly termed insulators. The substances which are good conductors include metals which are positively charged when ionized.a single charge of an electron is enough for it to have electrical conductivity.