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Good question. Metals conduct because of the sea of free electrons in the crystal lattice. Metal conductivity depends on how loosely these electrons are bound to the nuclei and how many free electrons. Most other properties of Cu and Fe are comparable. One possible reason is the electron configuration.

For Cu, it is (2, 8, 18, 1) for (s,p,d,f) orbitals, respectively.

For Fe, (2, 8, 14, 2).

Cu has one 4s-orbital electron that can roam freely, because all 3d electrons are paired and act as a shield from the nucleus. Fe's outermost shell is filled with 2 electrons and the 3d shell is not filled. The 3d electrons do not roam as free as 4s electrons. Cu also has more count of electrons than Fe.

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15y ago
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12y ago

because it has more free electrons in its outer most shell.

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Because copper has a greater density of free electrons.

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Q: Why does copper conduct electricity better than lead?
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