Otis Singleton
Conductors and insulators are materials that affect the flow of electricity. Conductors are materials that allow electricity to flow through them easily. Metals are generally good electrical conductors, while insulators are materials that are poor conductors and do not allow electricity to flow through them easily. Insulators are used to protect us from the dangerous effects of electricity flowing through conductors.
Characteristics and Values of Conductors and Insulators of Electricity
| Characteristics | Conductors | Insulators |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Materials that allow electricity to flow through them easily | Materials that do not allow electricity to flow through them easily |
| Examples | Copper, aluminium, gold, silver, iron, steel, and other metals | Glass, air, plastic, rubber, wood, water, and organic molecules |
| Electrical conductivity | High | Low |
| Resistance | Low | High |
| Temperature impact | Conductivity decreases as temperature increases | Conductivity increases as temperature increases |
| Use case | Used to conduct electricity | Used to shield people from electricity |
| Applications | Electrical wires, saucepans | Plug cases, wire coating, clothing, carpets, curtains |
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What You'll Learn
Metals are good electrical conductors
Metals are generally good electrical conductors. Conductors are materials that allow electrical current to flow through them easily. Metals are made of neat rows of positive ions, or atoms that have lost their outer electrons. This arrangement is called a crystal lattice, with a sea of free electrons that can move between them. These free electrons are also known as delocalized electrons. They are not bound to atoms and are free to move through the material. A material with many free electrons is a good conductor.
The presence of valence electrons determines a metal's conductivity. These valence electrons are "free electrons" that allow metals to conduct electric current. They move through the metal like billiard balls, transferring energy as they knock into each other. Silver, copper, and gold are the most highly conductive metals. Copper is the go-to material for electrical conductivity. However, some other metals such as aluminium, zinc, brass, and bronze are also good electrical conductors.
Metals don't have a complete valence shell, and their electrons can move to higher energy levels within the orbital they are in to transfer energy. This is in contrast to insulators, which have a full valence band. The free movement of electrons within metals is what makes them good conductors of electricity.
It is important to note that not all metals are equally good conductors. For example, heavy metals like uranium or plutonium are not as good at conducting electricity as other metals. Additionally, the conductivity of metals can be affected by factors such as frequency, electromagnetic fields, and temperature. Metals are generally better conductors when cool and less efficient when hot.
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Insulators are poor conductors
Insulators are materials that do not conduct electricity well. They are poor conductors of electricity because their atoms have tightly bound electrons, which cannot move around freely and be shared with neighbouring atoms. This is in contrast to conductors, which have many free electrons that can move through the material, allowing electrical current to flow through them with ease. Metals are generally good electrical conductors, while most non-metallic substances, like plastic, glass, and rubber, are insulators.
The effectiveness of a material as an insulator or conductor depends on its resistance, or how difficult it is for current to flow through a circuit. Materials with high resistance are poor conductors, while those with low resistance are good conductors. Insulators have very high resistance, making it difficult for electric current to flow through them. This property of insulators is advantageous in many applications, such as providing a protective coating on electrical wires to prevent electric shocks.
The temperature also influences the conductivity of a material. As the temperature increases, atoms and their electrons gain energy, which can affect their ability to conduct electricity. Some insulators, like glass, are poor conductors when cool but become better conductors when heated. On the other hand, most metals are more efficient conductors when cool and less efficient when hot.
The shape and size of a material also impact its conductivity. For instance, a thick piece of material will conduct better than a thin piece of the same size and length. Additionally, a shorter piece of material will conduct better than a longer one of the same thickness because it offers less resistance to the electric current.
Insulators play a crucial role in everyday applications, especially in electrical safety. They are used to coat electrical wires, providing a barrier between conductors and preventing electric currents from escaping. This protective coating, often made of rubber, plastic, or other insulating materials, ensures that we can use electrical devices without worrying about electric shocks.
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Temperature affects conductivity
Temperature affects the conductivity of solutions and metals. As the temperature rises, atoms and their electrons gain energy. This increase in temperature causes an increase in ion mobility and a decrease in viscosity. The nature of ions and the viscosity of solutions are directly impacted by the change in temperature, which in turn affects the conductivity of metals and solutions.
Some insulators, like glass, are poor conductors when cool but become good conductors when hot. Most metals are better conductors when cool and less efficient when hot. This is because when the temperature increases in metals, the positive ions inside the metal conductor vibrate more, and the thermal speed of the electrons increases, resulting in an increase in resistance and a decrease in metal conductivity.
In semiconductors, electrical conductivity increases with increasing temperature. This is because the gap between the two bands becomes smaller, allowing electrons to move from the valence band to the conduction band more easily.
The shape and size of a material also affect its conductivity. For example, a thick piece of matter will conduct better than a thin piece of the same size and length. If you have two pieces of the same material of the same thickness, but one is shorter than the other, the shorter one will conduct better as it has less resistance.
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Inorganic substances are conductors
Inorganic substances, such as metals and plasmas, are excellent conductors of electricity. This is due to their ability to readily lose and gain electrons, a critical factor in electrical conductivity. Metals, for instance, have a unique structure with neat rows of positive ions, or atoms that have lost their outer electrons, known as a crystal lattice. This structure allows for a "'sea'" of free electrons that can move between the ions, facilitating the flow of electrical current. Copper, a commonly used metal for wires, is considered an excellent conductor because it easily conducts electron flow.
Aluminum, or aluminium, is another widely recognised inorganic substance and conductor of electricity. It is a good conductor because it has many free electrons that can flow through the metal. However, it is not as effective a conductor as copper. Other inorganic substances that conduct electricity include gold and silver, although these are less commonly used due to their higher cost.
The effectiveness of a conductor is also influenced by factors such as temperature, shape, and size. For example, as the temperature of a material increases, its atoms and electrons gain energy, impacting conductivity. In general, most metals are better conductors when cool and less efficient when hot. Additionally, the shape and size of a material can affect its conductivity, with thicker pieces conducting better than thinner ones of the same size and length.
Inorganic substances like metals and plasmas are widely used as conductors in various applications, including electrical wiring and circuits. The outer casing of electrical wires, for instance, is often made of plastic, a poor conductor, to protect us from electric shocks. In contrast, the inner conductor is typically made of metal, allowing electricity to flow efficiently.
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Organic molecules are insulators
Conductors are materials that allow electrical current to flow through them easily. Metals are generally good electrical conductors due to their free electrons. Insulators, on the other hand, are materials that impede the flow of electrons and do not allow electrical current to flow through them easily. Common insulators include glass, plastic, rubber, and wood.
Organic molecules are typically insulators. This is because their structure is primarily held together by strong covalent bonds, and the presence of hydrogen bonding further contributes to their stability. This molecular structure does not easily allow electrons to move, which is necessary for electrical conductivity. In other words, organic molecules have a high resistance to electrical current due to the nature of their atomic bonds.
The strong covalent bonds in organic molecules prevent the free movement of electrons, which is a key characteristic of electrical conductivity. In contrast, metals have a high electrical conductivity because their valence electrons can move easily within the crystal lattice structure. The neat rows of positive ions in metals (atoms that have lost their outer electrons) allow for a sea of free electrons to move between them, facilitating electrical conduction.
While organic molecules are typically insulators, it is important to note that some materials may exhibit both conducting and insulating properties under different conditions. For example, the presence of impurities or doping with small quantities of another element can alter the conductive behaviour of a material. Additionally, temperature can also affect conductivity. As temperature increases, atoms and their electrons gain energy, which can impact the flow of electrons in a material.
In recent years, there has been research into a class of two-dimensional organic topological insulators made of organometallic lattices. These materials exhibit insulating bulk electronic states but have conductive boundary states, showcasing the potential for organic molecules to display unique conductive and insulating properties under specific conditions.
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Frequently asked questions
Conductors are materials that allow electricity to flow through them easily. Metals are generally good conductors of electricity, with copper being the best example. Other good conductors include aluminium, gold, and silver.
Insulators are materials that do not allow electricity to flow through them easily. They have a high resistance, which makes it difficult for current to pass through them. Common insulators include glass, plastic, rubber, and wood.
It is important to know the difference between conductors and insulators to keep us safe from the dangerous effects of electricity. Insulators are used to coat electrical wires, providing a barrier between conductors and our bodies, preventing electric shocks.
