Multiple Choice Questions

Module-IIIA-Band Theory of Solids

Faculty: Dr. T. Anil Babu
1. Kronig-Penny model is……
a) Approximate model
b) Real model
c) Both a and b
d) None
2. The velocity of a free electron in a metal is maximum when..
a) It is present in the bottom energy levels of an allowed band
b) It is present in the top energy levels of an allowed band
c) It is present in a energy level corresponding to a point of inflection in an allowed
band
d) None
3. In E – K diagram ,
a) Each portion of the curve represents allowed band of energies
b) The curves are horizontal at the top and bottom
c) The curves are parabolic near the top and bottom with curvatures in opposite
directions
d) All
4. The effective mass of an electron is maximum when it is:
a) In the lower energy levels of an allowed band
b) In the higher energy levels of an allowed band
c) In the energy level corresponding to a point of inflection in a allowed band
d) None
5. In kronig-Penney model, as the scattering power of the potential barrier, P  ∞ then the
allowed energy bands:
a) Reduce to single energy levels
b) Reduce to smaller bands
c) Increase to bigger bands
d) None
6. In kronig-Penney model, as the scattering power of the potential barrier, P  0 then:
a) All the energies are allowed to the electrons
b) All the energies are not allowed to the electrons
c) The forbidden band reduces to smaller size
d) None
7. In kronig-penny model, the width of allowed bands --------------and the width of
forbidden bands ---------------with increase of energy [or αa]
 a) Increases, decreases
b) Increases, increases
c) Decreases, decreases
d) Decreases, increases
8. The discontinuities in the energies of free electrons of a metal occur at the -------of the
Brillouin zones.
a) Middle
b) Boundaries
c) Both a and b
d) None
9. The effective mass of a free electron is ----------, when it occupies lower energy levels of
allowed band of energies:
a) Negative
b) Positive
c) Low negative
d) None
10. The effective mass of a free electron is----------, when it occupies higher energy levels of
allowed band of energies,
a) Negative
b) Positive
c) Low positive
d) High positive
11. The effective mass of an electron has been experimentally determined from:
a) Electron specific heat
b) Cyclotron resonance experiments
c) Both a and b
d) None
12. Consider an ideal intrinsic semiconductor in thermal equilibrium. No external forces or
fields are applied to this semiconductor. At temperatures above 0 K, the electron
concentration in the conduction band is non-zero because:
a) Some electrons from dopant atoms will overcome the band gap by gained thermal
energy.
b) Some electrons from dopant atoms will overcome the ionization energy by gained
thermal energy.
c) Some electrons from the conduction band will overcome the band gap by gained
thermal energy.
d) Some electrons from the valence band will overcome the band gap by gained
thermal energy.
13. Dopant atoms, when added to an intrinsic semiconductor,
a) Introduce quantum states that are close to the edges of the forbidden band.
 b) Introduce quantum states that are near the center of the forbidden band.
c) Increase the energy of electrons in the valence band.
d) Increase the energy of electrons in the conduction band.
14. The “ionization energy of an acceptor in a semiconductor” refers to the difference
between:
a) The energy of an electron bound to the acceptor and the top of the valence band.
b) The energy of an electron bound to the acceptor and the bottom of the conduction
band.
c) The energy of an electron bound to the acceptor and the bottom of the valence
band.
d) The energy of an electron bound to the acceptor and the top of the conduction
band.
15. The cause for electrical resistance of a metal is
a) Impurities and crystal defects
b) Thermal vibrations
c) Electron scattering and non-periodicity of lattice potentials
d) All
16. As the temperature of a metal is raised from absolute zero temperature, the Fermi-Dirac
distribution curve begins to depart from _________function
a) Wave-like
b) Tail-like
c) Step-like
d) None
17. The applied electric field on a metal _________the velocity of electrons present near the
Fermi level.
a) Decreases
b) Enhances
c) Both a and b
d) None
18. An electron, neutron and a proton have the same wavelength. Which particle has greater
velocity?
a) Neutron
b) Proton
c) Electron
d) All the particles have the same velocity
19. Fermi level is that state at which the probability of electron occupation is _____at any
temperature above 0K
a) 1
b) 0
c) ½
 d) None of these
20. At any temperature other than 0K, the probability of finding an electron at Fermi level
is…
a) 1
b) 0.5
c) 0
d) Any positive value
21. According to Fermi-Dirac statistics the probability of an electron occupying an energy
level E is given by
1
a) 𝐹(𝐸) = 𝐸−𝐸𝐹
1−exp( )
𝐾𝐵 𝑇
𝐸−𝐸𝐹
b) 𝐹(𝐸) = 1 + exp( )
𝐾𝐵 𝑇
1
c) F(E) = 𝐸−𝐸𝐹
1+exp( )
𝐾𝐵 𝑇
𝐸−𝐸𝐹
d) F(E)= 1 − exp( )
𝐾𝐵 𝑇
22. The various energy bands in a solid :
a) Overlap
b) Do not overlap
c) May or may not overlap
d) Nothing can be said
23. If the valance band is partially filled then the solid is a…..
a) Conductor
b) Semiconductor
c) Insulator
d) None of the above
24. At absolute zero, semiconductor have the band structure similar to
a) Insulator
b) Conductor
c) Neither a nor b
d) Both a and b
25. An electron in a solid moves in a region of
a) Constant potential
b) Negative potential
c) Periodically varying potential
d) None of the above

ANSWERS:
1. a
2. c
3. d
4. c
5. a
6. a
7. a
8. b
9. b
10. a
11. c
12. d
13. a
14. a
15. d
16. c
17. c
18. c
19. c
20. b
21. c
22. c
23. b
24. a
25. c