CBSE · Class 10 · Science · Carbon and its CompoundsWhy are carbon compounds poor conductors of electricity?

Carbon compounds are generally poor conductors of electricity because they form covalent bonds by sharing electrons rather than transferring them. Consequently, these compounds do not contain free ions or charged particles in their molten state or in aqueous solutions. Since the presence of free mobile ions or delocalized electrons is an absolute requirement for the conduction of electrical current through a medium, the absence of such charged particles in carbon compounds makes them extremely poor conductors or insulators of electricity.