Question

State one activity to prove that air is a bad conductor of electricity.

Answer 1

Air does not conduct the electricity like the metals conduct the electricity. In air and other materials, the electrons are present, but in air the electrons are arranged in individuals cannot move to conduct the electricity like the free electrons do in metals.

Complete answer:
Air does not conduct the electricity, we normally think that the conductors are having the free electrons, so the free electron moves and conducts the electricity. Like that the air has a greater number of free electrons, but why does the air not conduct electricity. The reason for this problem is, the metals are having the free electrons but the free electrons are having some connection between the other free electrons. But in air the free electrons are not dependent on the other free electrons, so the electricity is not conducted in the air.
The air can conduct the electricity but it needs more voltage. For example, the high voltage wires touch each other, then we can get the sparks due to the free electrons moving in the gas that can conduct the electricity. So, the air requires the high voltage to ionise the gas present in the air. High voltage is required to separate the electron from the atom. So, all the atom liberates the electron, then the electricity conduction is done in the air. But in normal voltages, the air cannot conduct the electricity.

Additional information: The air is a very bad conductor of electricity because the molecular arrangement of the air is not in continuous form. The molecules are very loosely packed, so that the air is a bad conductor of the electricity. When the electric field is very high, the air gets ionised, that means the electrons from the molecules are removed due to the high electric field and it creates the free positive ions and free negative electrons. So, that the air gets ionised and conducts the electricity.

Note: Take one simple electric bulb circuit, keep the two terminals unconnected and leave the terminals in the air. The bulb will not glow, because the air does not conduct the low voltage. But in lightning the air conducts electricity, so that the spark will produce, because it is very high voltage.