If the energy gap between valence band and conduction band is 10 eV, then the material is a/an

Options

A. metal
B. insulator
C. semiconductor
D. superconductor

Answer

To solve the question regarding the material classification based on the energy gap between the valence band and the conduction band, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Energy Bands**:
- The valence band is the energy band that contains the electrons that are involved in bonding. The conduction band is the energy band where electrons can move freely and conduct electricity.

2. **Identify the Energy Gap**:
- The energy gap (or band gap) is the energy difference between the valence band and the conduction band. In this case, the energy gap is given as 10 eV.

3. **Classify the Material Based on the Energy Gap**:
- Materials can be classified based on their energy gaps:
- If the energy gap is less than or equal to 3 eV, the material is classified as a semiconductor.
- If the energy gap is greater than 3 eV, the material is classified as an insulator.
- If the energy gap is 0 eV, the material behaves like a metal.

4. **Apply the Given Information**:
- Since the energy gap provided in the question is 10 eV, which is greater than 3 eV, we can conclude that the material is an insulator.

5. **Final Answer**:
- Therefore, the material is classified as an **insulator**.