Why are metals good conductors of electricity?

Metals are good conductors of electricity primarily because they possess delocalised electrons. In a metallic structure, the metal atoms release some of their electrons, allowing these electrons to become free and move throughout the structure. This sea of delocalised electrons forms a "cloud" around the positively charged metal ions, which allows the electrons to flow easily when an electric potential is applied.

When an electric field is applied, these delocalised electrons can move towards the positive terminal, creating an electric current. This is in contrast to insulators, where electrons are tightly bound to their individual atoms and cannot move freely. The high mobility of delocalised electrons in metals not only enables the conduction of electricity but also contributes to other properties of metals, such as their malleability and ductility.

The other options relate to properties that do not contribute to metallic conductivity as directly as the presence of delocalised electrons. A rigid structure does not facilitate the movement of charge, while ions being free to move is more characteristic of ionic compounds in solution or molten states, rather than the solid-state structure of metals. Additionally, while atoms may hold a charge in some contexts, in metallic bonding, it is the movement of delocalised electrons that primarily accounts for