Why do electrons collide with ions in a conductor

[Genji Shimada]

Homework Statement

I am confused if whether the collisions in a conductor is because as the electric field pushes electrons through the material, they literally bump into the orbitals of the atoms because these atoms get in the way of the electron flow, or whether these collisions happen because the ionized atoms through electric field influence the path of the electrons.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

When electrons pass through the conductor, the positive field of the ions attract the electrons and this causes collisions. The greater the nuclear charge, the stronger the positive electric field of the ion will be and will attract electrons more, causing more collisions. Duo to the high kinetic energy of the particle, when a positive ion attracts it towards itself, a collision can occur between the drifting charge and electrons in orbitals around the ion. The rate of collisions depends on the electronegativity of the atom.

 

[drvrm]

When electrons pass through the conductor, the positive field of the ions attract the electrons and this causes collisions.

the electrons basically move by the electric field impressed on the conductor and accelerates by a force e.E . the path is not free as the atoms of the conductor comes in the way...whose profile is 'oscillating' due to the temperature/thermal disturbance...and it scatters/collides with them...so a jig-jag path can be traced .
if the external field is absent there is no net transfer of electrons through the conductor and thereby the total current is zero.
this velocity/speed of the electron is called drift speed.
the nuclear charge and orbital charges may be giving a push in its own preferred way so that the path of the electrons are not straight but criss cross its motion trace-line.

 

[drvrm]

The greater the nuclear charge, the stronger the positive electric field of the ion will be and will attract electrons more, causing more collisions.

your above statement has an error...say if the ions are heavier means large Z value then the nuclear charge

and electron cloud taken together will have same net charge and electrons at the usual drift velocity

can not see the nucleons of the atom.
so ..this effect will not be there. moreover if its true then heavier elements will become good conductors and that is not found...