Question

In a p-type semiconductor, conduction is due to
(A) Greater number of holes and less number of electrons
(B) Only electrons
(C) Only holes
(D) Greater number of electrons and less number of holes

Answer 1

Hint: A semiconductor is a type of material that exhibits properties of both conductor and insulator at different temperatures. If a semiconductor is doped with trivalent atoms then the semiconductor becomes a p-type semiconductor if a semiconductor is doped with pentavalent atoms then the semiconductor becomes an n-type semiconductor

Complete step-by-step answer
If a semiconductor is doped with trivalent atoms then the semiconductor becomes a p-type semiconductor due to the presence of trivalent impurity number of holes greater than the number of electrons.

Therefore the correct answer to the above question is (A) Greater number of holes and less number of electrons.

Additional information
The pure semiconductor crystal is known as an intrinsic semiconductor. When the intrinsic semiconductor is doped with a foreign dopant atom it becomes an extrinsic semiconductor. The foreign dopant atom can be pentavalent or trivalent.
Examples of intrinsic semiconductors are silicon, germanium, etc.
Pentavalent dopants are atoms with five electrons in their valence shell; its examples are phosphorus, arsenic, etc.
Trivalent dopants are atoms with three electrons in their valence shell; its examples are boron, aluminum, etc.
Semiconductors are widely used in electronic circuits for example in mobile, computer, television, watch, and many more.

Note
In the lattice of a semiconductor where electrons are missing is known as holes. They are considered as positively charged entities due to the absence of electrons. In a conductor conduction is only because of electrons and in an n-type semiconductor, conduction is due to a greater number of electrons and less number of holes.