Question
Can simple COVALENT compounds CONDUCT electricity? Around 50% can YES, always NO, never YES, but only as solids
Answer
4.7
(315 Votes)
Greta
Elite · Tutor for 8 years
Answer
NO, never.
Explanation
A critical point to note concerning substance conductivity is that for an object to conduct electricity, it necessitates the presence of charged particles that can move freely. In the context of substances, these are either free ions or free electrons. In simple covalent molecules, atoms share electrons to form a covalent bond. There is no creation of free ions since the shared electrons do not transfer and contribute to forming ions, nor is there creation/formation of a delocalized 'sea' of electrons moving freely across the compound. Therefore, simple covalent compounds are incapable of conducting electric charge under normal conditions, they do not perform the action in both solid and liquid states. There are indeed some covalent compounds, that can conduct electricity BUT, they are not the 'simple' covalent compounds referenced in your question, one quick example that springs to mind is Graphite - a covalently bound substance.