Molecules form by two main types of bonds: the ionic bond and the covalent bond. An ionic bond transfers an electron from one atom to another, and a covalent bond shares the electrons.
The energy change associated with ionic bonding depends on three main processes: the ionization of an electron from one atom, the acceptance of the electron by the second atom, and the Coulomb attraction of the resulting ions.
Metals conduct electricity, and electricity is composed of large numbers of randomly colliding and approximately free electrons.
The allowed energy states of an electron are quantized. This quantization appears in the form of very large electron energies, even at .
The allowed energies of free electrons in a metal depend on electron mass and on the electron number density of the metal.
The density of states of an electron in a metal increases with energy, because there are more ways for an electron to fill a high-energy state than a low-energy state.
Pauli’s exclusion principle states that only two electrons (spin up and spin down) can occupy the same energy level. Therefore, in filling these energy levels (lowest to highest at the last and largest energy level to be occupied is called the Fermi energy.
The energy levels of an electron in a crystal can be determined by solving Schrödinger’s equation for a periodic potential and by studying changes to the electron energy structure as atoms are pushed together from a distance.
The energy structure of a crystal is characterized by continuous energy bands and energy gaps.
The ability of a solid to conduct electricity relies on the energy structure of the solid.
A diode is produced by an n-p junction. A diode allows current to move in just one direction. In forward biased configuration of a diode, the current increases exponentially with the voltage.
A transistor is produced by an n-p-n junction. A transistor is an electric valve that controls the current in a circuit.
A transistor is a critical component in audio amplifiers, computers, and many other devices.
A superconductor is characterized by two features: the conduction of electrons with zero electrical resistance and the repelling of magnetic field lines.
A minimum temperature is required for superconductivity to occur.
A strong magnetic field destroys superconductivity.
Superconductivity can be explain in terms of Cooper pairs.