Electronic band structure

Imagine a group of kids holding hands in a line, they're so close together that they're almost like one big group. In this group, some of the kids are really good at running and jumping while others are not as good.

In materials like metal or semiconductors, the atoms are also like a group of kids, except they are not holding hands, instead they share their electrons with each other. And some of these electrons (the ones that are good at running and jumping) can move around freely within the material, while others (the ones that are not as good) have to stay close to the atoms they belong to.

The way that the good electrons move around is called the electronic band structure. It's like an obstacle course made up of jumps and hurdles that only the best runners can go through, while the not-so-good runners get stuck along the way.

In some materials, these electronic obstacles are really easy to go through, which allows the electrons to move around easily, making the material a great conductor of electricity. In others, the obstacles are much harder to overcome, which makes it difficult for the electrons to move, making the material an insulator.

Scientists and engineers study electronic band structures so they can understand how materials conduct electricity and how to create better electronic devices.