Why are metals shiny and able to conduct electricity?
Electron Sea Parade
Why are metals shiny and able to conduct electricity?
Pick up a spoon. It gleams. Touch a wire and electricity zips through it like it owns the place. Wood won't do this. Plastic won't do this. So what is it about metals — gold, copper, iron, silver — that makes them sparkle AND carry power? The secret is hiding in something most things never do: their electrons learned to let go.
First, the cast of characters. Every atom is a tiny clump in the middle, surrounded by even tinier electrons buzzing around it. In most materials, each electron stays close to home, clinging tightly to its own atom like a kid who won't let go of a parent's hand at a busy party.
