The particles carrying the charge through a wire collide with the metal __________ in the wire. What one word completes the sentence?

The particles carrying the charge through a wire collide with the metal ions in the wire.

In a conductor, such as a metal wire, electrical current is primarily carried by electrons, which are negatively charged particles. These electrons move freely through the lattice structure of the metal. However, as they travel, they encounter resistance in the form of metal ions that are fixed in place within the metal lattice. When electrons collide with these ions, they may lose energy, which is converted to heat—a phenomenon responsible for the resistance observed in electrical conductors. This interaction is crucial to understanding how electricity moves through conductors and why certain materials are better conductors than others.