1. Which statement describes how the atoms in a conducting wire are organized?(1 point)
a. Negatively charged valence electrons are packed in a repeating pattern, and positively charged nuclei flow freely.
b. Both the positively and negatively charged particles in the atoms move freely.
c. The positively and negatively charged particles in the atoms are randomly organized and move freely.
d. Positively charged nuclei are packed in an organized pattern, and the negatively charged valence electrons flow freely.**
To determine the correct answer, let's analyze the options:
a. Negatively charged valence electrons are packed in a repeating pattern, and positively charged nuclei flow freely.
b. Both the positively and negatively charged particles in the atoms move freely.
c. The positively and negatively charged particles in the atoms are randomly organized and move freely.
d. Positively charged nuclei are packed in an organized pattern, and the negatively charged valence electrons flow freely.
In a conducting wire, the electrons are the main carriers of electric current. The atoms in a conducting wire are typically organized in a way that allows the flow of electrons.
Option a suggests that the negatively charged valence electrons are packed in a repeating pattern, which is not accurate. In conductors, the valence electrons move freely.
Option b suggests that both positively and negatively charged particles in the atoms move freely, but in a conducting wire, it is primarily the negatively charged electrons that move freely while the positively charged nuclei are mostly stationary.
Option c states that the positively and negatively charged particles in the atoms are randomly organized and move freely. While the valence electrons are indeed free to move, the positively charged nuclei are not randomly organized but rather packed in an organized pattern.
Option d accurately describes the organization of atoms in a conducting wire. It states that positively charged nuclei are packed in an organized pattern, while the negatively charged valence electrons flow freely.
Therefore, the correct answer is d.