How does carbon conduct electricity as a non-metal?

Question

this is for my science homework but Google doesn't seem to have an answer

Answer 1

Technicaly everything conducts electricty. Metals just tend to be more efficent and non-metals less.

Answer 2

In general, carbon is a nonconductor. Graphite is one of the forms of solid carbon. In  graphite, one of the outer electrons of the carbon atom is not involved in the crystal bonding of the solid. That electron is somewhat free to move, and graphite therefore can conduct an electrical current, but it conducts much  more poorly than metals. Graphite is used to make carbon resistors, which conduct electricity but with higher resistance.

A diamond, which is a different crystalline form of carbon, does not conduct electricity.

Answer 3

Carbon in graphite form has double bonds due to which some electrons are loosely bonded between two carbons they conduct electricity.

Answer 4

If a polymer is thin enough (think molecular level) an electron will 'skip' over the surface similar to skipping a rock on water.  Polymers that are thin enough conduct as a conjugated system.  Research organic field effect transistors for a more in depth understanding.

Also, and simpler, is to dope the polymer (but this process only uses the carbon to hold the doping agent more than conduct itself.