🔌Conductor vs Insulator🧤
Materials respond very differently to electricity. Some let charge move freely; others resist it almost completely.
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🔌Conductor
- ✓Allows electric charge to flow easily
- ✓Has many free electrons that can move
- ✓Examples include copper, silver and aluminum
- ✓Used for wires and electrical contacts
- ✓Generally also conducts heat well
🧤Insulator
- ✓Strongly resists the flow of electric charge
- ✓Has very few free electrons
- ✓Examples include rubber, glass and plastic
- ✓Used to coat wires and protect against shocks
- ✓Generally also a poor conductor of heat
Verdict
Conductors carry electricity and are used for wires; insulators block it and are used for safety coatings. Most electrical cables combine both — a conducting core inside an insulating sheath.
Frequently asked
Why are wires made of copper?+
Copper is an excellent conductor with low resistance, carrying current efficiently and affordably.
Why is rubber used to coat wires?+
Rubber is an insulator, so it stops current escaping and protects people from electric shocks.
What is a semiconductor?+
A material between the two, conducting under some conditions; it is the basis of modern electronics.
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