522,370 views
45 votes
45 votes
Explain why silicon dioxide does not conduct electricity.​

User Lcat
by
2.3k points

2 Answers

25 votes
25 votes

Final answer:

Silicon dioxide does not conduct electricity because it is an insulator. The electrons and ions in silicon dioxide are bound in the structure and cannot move easily. The bonding in silicon dioxide is covalent, not ionic.

Step-by-step explanation:

Silicon dioxide does not conduct electricity because it is an insulator. Insulators are substances that do not allow charges to move through them. In silicon dioxide, electrons and ions are bound in the structure and cannot move easily. This is because the bonding in silicon dioxide is covalent and not ionic, meaning there are no free ions to carry the electric charge.

User Francisco Carmona
by
2.9k points
14 votes
14 votes

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

Silicon dioxide doesn't have any mobile electrons or ions - so it doesn't conduct electricity either as a solid or a liquid.

User Aweary
by
2.8k points