Chemistry Question!

[gina2201]

Q. What is the only non-metal to conduct?

 

[Dieselman]

Conduct what.?

I suspect you mean electricity, so it's water.

Which in pure form doesn't conduct either.

 

[pammy]

Q. What is the only non-metal to conduct?

Presume this is electricity in which case isn't it water?

 

[gina2201]

Not Carbon then??

(Sis Yr9 homework)

 

[stevesey]

Conduct what.?

I suspect you mean electricity, so it's water.

Which in pure form doesn't conduct either.

I think the word element was missing from the question.

And the answer is Carbon.

Edit: Gina posted while I was typing - honest.

 

[Dieselman]

I think the word element was missing fron the question.

And the answer is Carbon.

Good point and stonking answer.

 

[Dieselman]

Steve is correct. Carbon is a resistive conductor.

 

[whitenemesis]

Graphite

 

[stevesey]

Graphite

Technically a more accurate answer (diamonds don't conduct, do the other forms of carbon?)

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

IIRC 'black' carbon - like coal - can conduct but not very well, depending up on what it is.

 

[whitenemesis]

Or a TTF-TCNQ plastic composite

 

[Dieselman]

Or a TTF-TCNQ plastic composite

Now, that would be brilliant as a homework answer..

 

[whitenemesis]

Selenium, as used in photocells

 

[Dieselman]

Selenium, as used in photocells

Isn't selenium a metal.?

What about silicon.?

 

[whitenemesis]

Poly(ethyne)

No, selenium is a non-metal

In fact there are very many non-metals that conduct electricity

 

[stevesey]

What about silicon.?

Semiconductor.

As is Selenium.

 

[HughJarse]

Super cooled polymers - in fact its just a flow of electrons so a lot of things will conduct, they will just have a very high resistance and so generally not be useful.

 

[gina2201]

Thanks, sorry about the misleading question, it's how it was written on their question paper!!!

 

[whitenemesis]

Semiconductor.

As is Selenium.

True but selenium is a non-metal whereas silicon is a metaloid

 

[stevesey]

Thanks, sorry about the misleading question, it's how it was written on their question paper!!!

I've noticed that on son/daughter's GSCE papers, questions are written for the syllabus and often very subjective or inaccurate. I have seen multiple choice questions where more than one answer it technically correct (if you have a little more understanding than is needed for the syllabus). And often all that is needed to is a simple modification to the question (like including the word "element"). Not like it was in my day...