To determine the order of elements from most conductive to least conductive, we must consider the electrical conductivity properties of potassium (K), germanium (Ge), and selenium (Se).
1. Potassium (K): Potassium is a highly conductive metal. Metals are generally known for their excellent electrical conductivity due to their delocalized electrons that allow for easy flow of electric current.
2. Germanium (Ge): Germanium is a metalloid and has moderate electrical conductivity. It is used in semiconductors because it can conduct electricity better than non-metals but not as well as metals.
3. Selenium (Se): Selenium is a non-metal with relatively low electrical conductivity. Non-metals usually have poor conductivity except for a few exceptions like graphite.
Based on their properties, we can rank them from most conductive to least conductive as follows:
- Potassium (K) is the most conductive.
- Germanium (Ge) is less conductive than potassium but more conductive than selenium.
- Selenium (Se) is the least conductive.
Therefore, the correct order from most conductive to least conductive is:
Potassium (K), Germanium (Ge), Selenium (Se)
And this corresponds to the fourth option: potassium [tex]$( K )$[/tex], germanium [tex]$( Ge )$[/tex], selenium [tex]$( Se )$[/tex]. Thus, the correct answer is:
[potassium [tex]$( K )$[/tex], germanium [tex]$( Ge )$[/tex], selenium [tex]$( Se )$[/tex]]
