Beatrice Lang
Electrical conductors are materials that allow electricity to flow through them easily. This property of conductors that allows them to conduct electricity is known as conductivity. The human body, metals, graphite, and saltwater are all examples of conductors. The ability of materials to conduct electricity varies, with some materials being better conductors than others. The best conductor of electricity is silver, while copper is the most common material used in circuits and wires.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Materials that allow electricity to move through them easily | Copper, aluminium, iron, steel, graphite, saltwater, silver |
| Materials that allow electricity to move through them with difficulty | Pure water, dirty water |
| Materials that do not allow electricity to move through them | Rubber, wood, glass, thermocol, plastic, air |
| Factors that affect conductivity | Shape and size of material, temperature, presence of impurities |
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What You'll Learn
Metals
The number of valence electrons in an atom determines its ability to conduct electricity. The outer shell of the atom is the valence, and in most cases, good conductors have one or two valence electrons. Some metals with one valence electron include copper, gold, platinum, and silver. Iron has two valence electrons, and aluminium has three.
Some metals are better conductors than others. Silver is the best conductor of electricity because it contains a higher number of movable atoms (free electrons). Copper is also a highly conductive metal and is the international standard to which other electrical conductors are compared. Iron, steel, gold, aluminium, and brass are also common metal conductors.
The shape, size, and temperature of a metal also affect its conductivity. For example, a thick piece of metal will conduct better than a thin piece of the same size and length. If two pieces of metal have the same thickness but different lengths, the shorter one will conduct better because it has less resistance. Increasing the temperature of a metal conductor generally decreases its conductivity while increasing its resistivity.
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Non-metals
While metals are known for their electrical conductivity, there are some non-metals that can also conduct electricity. These non-metallic conductors are often used for insulation due to their high resistance to the flow of electric charge.
One example of a non-metal that is an excellent conductor of electricity is carbon in the form of graphite. In graphite, only three of the four carbon atoms are used for bonding, leaving one electron free for bonding and allowing for the movement of electrons and ions. This free electron gives graphite its conductive properties.
Saltwater is another example of a non-metal that can conduct electricity. Saltwater is an ionic solution, and its free-floating ions enable it to conduct electric currents. Similarly, while pure water is an insulator, dirty water can weakly conduct electricity due to the presence of impurities.
In contrast to metals, which have free-moving delocalized electrons, non-metals have tightly bound electrons that hinder the flow of electric charge. This high resistance to electric flow is what defines insulators, which are materials that do not conduct electricity well. Common examples of insulators include glass, plastic, and air.
While most non-metals are poor conductors of electricity, there are a few exceptions like graphite and saltwater. These non-metallic conductors are valuable in specific applications, such as using saltwater for ionic conduction or graphite for its conductive and lubricating properties.
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Human bodies
The human body is a good conductor of electricity because it contains water and charged particles. The presence of charged particles, such as ions, allows electricity to flow through the body. The body's cells generate charges that can move from one cell to another, creating an electric current. This current is what we refer to as bioelectricity, which is essential for cell-to-cell communication and biological functioning.
The skin, specifically the epidermis, is a poor conductor of electricity, which means it has high resistance. However, the skin's resistance can vary depending on its moisture content, the gender of the individual, and the overall health of the skin. Dry skin acts as an insulator, while wet or blistered skin has lower resistance and allows for greater current flow.
The attire a person is wearing also influences their conductivity. For example, direct contact with a conductive material can reduce a person's resistance, while wearing an insulating material will increase it. Additionally, a person's posture can also impact their conductivity.
The human body's conductivity is comparable to that of metals. In metals, electrons can easily escape the nucleus and move freely from atom to atom. Similarly, the human body's charged particles can move between cells, facilitating the flow of electricity. This conductivity in the human body is essential for transmitting electrical signals that allow us to detect movement, pain, heat, thirst, and hunger, and respond accordingly.
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Water
Pure water is an insulator and does not conduct electricity. However, it is almost impossible to find pure water in nature. Water from the kitchen faucet, swimming pools, or even the rain, contains significant amounts of dissolved substances, minerals, and chemicals. These impurities make water a conductor of electricity.
The presence of impurities in water makes it conductive. Pure, distilled water is not conductive as it does not contain ions. However, even water of this purity can contain ions.
The danger of electrocution in sea or saltwater is less than in bathwater. This is because sea or saltwater, with its free-floating ions, conducts well.
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Insulators
Materials like glass, paper, PTFE, rubber-like polymers, and most plastics are very good electrical insulators due to their high resistivity. Insulators are used in electrical equipment to provide support and separate electrical conductors, ensuring that current does not pass through them. For example, insulators are used to coat wires and cables to control electric currents.
The strength of an insulator is dependent on its shape, size, and temperature. A thick piece of material will conduct better than a thin piece of the same size and length. Additionally, as the temperature increases, atoms and their electrons gain energy, which can affect their conductivity. For instance, glass is a poor conductor when cool but becomes a good conductor when hot.
Some materials that are pure insulators can become conductors when doped with small quantities of another element or when they contain impurities. For example, pure water is an insulator, but saltwater, which has free-floating ions, conducts electricity well.
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Frequently asked questions
Conductors of electricity are materials that allow electricity to flow through them easily.
Some examples of conductors of electricity include iron, steel, copper, aluminium, and graphite.
Yes, carbon in the form of graphite is an excellent non-metal conductor of electricity. The human body is also an electrical conductor, but not as good as metals.
Insulators are materials that hinder the flow of electricity. Examples of insulators include rubber, wood, glass, and plastic.
