A conductor for instance, is generally made from a material that contains one or two valence electrons. Atoms with one or two valence electrons are unstable and can be made to give up these electrons with little effort. Conductors are materials that permit electrons to flow through them easily. When an atom has only one or two valence electrons, these electrons are loosely held by the atom and are easily given up for the current flow. Silver, copper, gold, and aluminum all contain one valence electron and are excellent conductors of electricity.
Silver is the best natural conductor of electricity, followed by copper, gold, and aluminum.
It is produced when an electron from one atom knocks electrons of another atom out of orbit. When an atom contains only one valence electron, that electron is easily given up when struck by another electron. The striking electron gives its energy to the electron being struck. The striking electron settles into orbit around the atom, and the electron that was struck moves off to strike another electron. This same effect in the game of pool.