In contrast to good conductors, how many free electrons do substances considered insulators typically have?

Substances that are characterized as insulators typically possess very few free electrons that can move freely through the material. In fact, insulators generally have a very tightly bound atomic structure, which means that their electrons are not available for conduction.

The correct range for the number of free electrons in insulators is generally observed to be 0 to 1. This means that they do not have the available electrons needed for conducting electricity, unlike good conductors such as metals, which have many free electrons. Insulators include materials like rubber, glass, and wood, which are poorly conductive and are often used to prevent the flow of electric current.

The option indicating 5 to 8 free electrons is not accurate as it suggests a level of electron mobility that would make these materials more conducive to electricity, which contradicts their fundamental properties of being insulators.