Otis Singleton
Materials that are poor conductors of electricity are called insulators. Insulators do not allow electricity to pass through them easily or at all. This is because insulators have tightly bound electrons, which prevent the flow of electricity. Examples of insulators include wood, rubber, glass, sand, and plastic. Pure water is also a poor conductor of electricity since its molecules do not have free electrons to transfer current. However, it is important to note that salty or impure water is a good conductor of electricity.
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What You'll Learn
Pure water
Water that appears pure, such as water from a kitchen faucet, a swimming pool, or even snow, will contain significant amounts of dissolved substances, minerals, and chemicals. These impurities make water conductive, and even a very small amount of ions in a water solution is enough to conduct electricity.
Therefore, while pure water is a poor conductor, it is important to remember that water seldom exists in its pure form and can become conductive through contact with various impurities.
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Wood
The conductivity of wood is influenced by its moisture content and the direction of the electric current relative to its grain. When dry, wood is an insulator and resists electrical conduction, making it safe for indoor use in construction. However, as moisture content increases, wood can become slightly conductive. Wet wood is capable of conducting electricity to a limited extent because ionized water molecules can split into positively and negatively charged hydrogen ions, enhancing conductivity.
The electrical properties of wood are intriguing and unique. While standard conductors like copper or aluminium have a high number of free electrons that facilitate electrical flow, wood's non-metallic nature results in fewer free electrons. This leads to the electrons in wood being more tightly bound to their atoms, reducing their mobility. Nevertheless, wood contains organic substances called extractives that contribute to its conductivity.
It is worth noting that the composition of wood can vary depending on its type, but its primary constituents are carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Although wood has numerous electrons, they are tightly bound to the nucleus of the atom, preventing the flow of electricity. This characteristic distinguishes wood as a poor conductor but a good insulator.
In summary, wood is generally considered a poor conductor of electricity due to its high resistance and lack of free electrons. However, under certain conditions, such as increased moisture content, wood can exhibit slight conductivity. Understanding the electrical properties of materials like wood is essential for safety considerations and various applications.
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Rubber
However, rubber can become a conductor if it gets wet or if it has additives such as carbon or metallic additives mixed with it.
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Glass
The presence of these free electrons is crucial for electrical conductivity. When an electric field is applied, these free electrons can move easily in response to the field, allowing an electric current to flow through the metal.
However, in insulators like glass, most electrons are bound very tightly in low-energy states close to the atoms. Therefore, a strong enough voltage must be applied to break those chemical bonds before a current can flow. Once the bonds are broken, the resulting ionized molecules can conduct electricity.
It is important to note that glass conducts electricity when it is hot, but not when it is cold. This is because when glass is heated, the vibrations become strong enough to break the bonds holding the solid together, and the glass melts into a liquid. Liquids are made up of single atoms and small groups of atoms that can move freely.
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Plastic
The conductivity of a substance depends on the number of electrons in the outer shell of its atoms. Metals, for example, are excellent conductors because they have a high number of free electrons in their outer shells. In contrast, plastics have very few or no free electrons because their molecules are made up of long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
The electrons in plastic are tightly bound to their respective 'parent' atoms and are not free to move. This restricted movement of electrons means that plastic does not possess freely movable charges, and therefore, it cannot conduct electricity effectively. The tight bond between plastic's molecules also makes it difficult for electricity to flow through.
Additionally, plastic has a high melting point. When exposed to a large electric current, plastic will melt instead of conducting the electricity. This property of plastic is another reason why it is commonly used as an insulator in electrical wiring and other applications.
While most plastics are poor conductors of electricity, there are some exceptions. Certain synthetic polymers have high conductivity traits and can act as electrical conductors. However, these plastics are not as commonly used in everyday household items as insulative plastics like polyurethane and polystyrene.
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Frequently asked questions
Metals with the highest thermal conductivity are silver, copper, and aluminum. However, stainless steel, an alloy of iron, carbon, chromium, and other alloying elements, is a poor conductor of electricity when compared to these metals. Bismuth, tungsten, lead, and titanium are some of the least conductive metals.
Non-metal elements are generally poor conductors of electricity. Glass, plastic, rubber, air, and wood are some examples of insulators, or poor conductors of electricity.
A substance with low electron mobility is a poor conductor of electricity. The presence of impurities, a lower temperature, and electromagnetic fields can decrease the conductivity of a substance.
