Question

Holes are the charge carriers in:
A. intrinsic semiconductors
B. ionic solids
C. p-type semiconductor
D. metals

Answer 1

Hint: The conductivity of a material is dependent upon the no of free ions present in the conductor. The free ions are known as charge carriers. There are two types of charge carriers: positive charge carriers (holes) and negative charge carriers (electrons).

Complete step by step answer:
There are two types of charge carriers in a semiconductor. One is termed as electrons and another charge carrier which is used to balance the moving electrons is known as holes.
Semiconductors are the material that has their conductivity between the insulators and the metals. There are two types of semiconductors which are called an intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductor.
Intrinsic semiconductors are also named as the pure semiconductors. The number of electrons and holes are almost the same in this kind of semiconductor.
When a semiconductor is doped with certain impurities to change the concentration of any only kind of charge charrier is known as doping. The semiconductor produced as a result of doping is known as extrinsic semiconductors.
According to the doping, two different types of extrinsic semiconductors can be formed. One is an n-type semiconductor and another is a p-type semiconductor.
When a pentavalent impurity is introduced to the intrinsic semiconductor an n-type semiconductor is formed which is rich in electrons as a charge carrier.
When a trivalent impurity is introduced to an intrinsic semiconductor the semiconductor produced is electron deficient. This kind of semiconductor is termed as p-type extrinsic semiconductors. The holes are the major charge carriers in this semiconductor.
In metals, electrons are the major charge carriers.
In ionic solids, the free ions are the only charge carrier.

So, the correct answer is “Option A and C”.

Note: Semiconductors normally behave as an insulator. The conductivity of these materials is dependent on external factors such as temperature. After crossing a particular range of temperature semiconductors show superconductivity.