When metals are heated, their conductivity decreases - while in semiconductors, as we noted above, it increases.
Comparison
The main difference between semiconductors and conductors lies in the small number of free electrons formed when the current is connected in the structure of the former (which, in turn, appear in larger quantities along with "holes" upon doping or during heating) and a high level of electrical resistance of the corresponding elements. But conductors have a lot of free electrons and are characterized by low resistance. When the first elements are heated, their resistance decreases, and when the conductors are exposed to heat, it increases.
Having determined what is the difference between semiconductors and conductors, we fix the conclusions in the table.
Table
Semiconductors | Conductors |
Pure semiconductors, when current is connected, release a few electrons under normal conditions | Pure conductors under normal conditions, when current is connected, release a lot of free electrons |
Increase conductivity when heated | Reduce conductivity when heated |
Examples of semiconductors - germanium, silicon | Pure conductors are mainly metals |