---
title: "A student investigates the electrical conductivity of two pure crystalline solids, \\(\\text{K}(s)\\) and \\(\\text{KCl}(s)\\), at \\(25\\ ^\\circ\\text{C}\\). The student observes that \\(\\text{K}(s)\\) readily conducts electricity, whereas \\(\\text{KCl}(s)\\) does not. Which of the following statements best explains the difference in electrical conductivity between the two solids?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119564/"
date_modified: "2026-08-21T06:53:47+00:00"
---

# A student investigates the electrical conductivity of two pure crystalline solids, \(\text{K}(s)\) and \(\text{KCl}(s)\), at \(25\ ^\circ\text{C}\). The student observes that \(\text{K}(s)\) readily conducts electricity, whereas \(\text{KCl}(s)\) does not. Which of the following statements best explains the difference in electrical conductivity between the two solids?

A student investigates the electrical conductivity of two pure crystalline solids, \(\text{K}(s)\) and \(\text{KCl}(s)\), at \(25\ ^\circ\text{C}\). The student observes that \(\text{K}(s)\) readily conducts electricity, whereas \(\text{KCl}(s)\) does not. Which of the following statements best explains the difference in electrical conductivity between the two solids?

- **A.** \(\text{K}(s)\) conducts electricity because it contains freely moving potassium ions, whereas the ions in \(\text{KCl}(s)\) are locked in fixed positions.
- **B.** \(\text{K}(s)\) conducts electricity because its valence electrons are localized in directional covalent bonds, whereas \(\text{KCl}(s)\) lacks covalent bonds.
- **C.** \(\text{KCl}(s)\) does not conduct electricity because its valence electrons are held tightly in ionic bonds, whereas in \(\text{K}(s)\) both cations and valence electrons flow freely through the solid.
- **D.** \(\text{K}(s)\) conducts electricity because its valence electrons are delocalized throughout the metallic crystal, whereas \(\text{KCl}(s)\) does not conduct electricity because its ions are held in fixed positions within the crystal lattice.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119564/*