What Are Conductors and Insulators?

Targets

At the end of this Unit you should be able to answer the following questions 

1. What are electricity and magnetism, and how can they be used safely?

1.1 What is electricity?

1.2 What is magnetism, and how is it related to electricity?

1.3 What are the dangers of electricity, and how can it be used safely?

2. How can electricity be controlled and used?

2.1 How is the electricity we use daily measured and paid for?

2.2 Do all materials allow electricity to flow through them?

2.3 How can we understand, design, and control electrical pathways?

2.4 How can we change circuits to control the amount of electricity that flows?

3. How can we use electrical circuits to build devices?

3.1 How can electrical technology be used to build devices and solve problems?

targets
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It is a hot day at the park.  You slide down a metal slide with bare legs.  Ouch! Your legs are burning.  But, when you slide down the plastic slide, your legs feel cooler. Why is this?

Anything that allows electrons to flow freely is called a conductor. Metals and water are good electrical conductors. They allow an electric current to flow easily because electrons are not tightly packed and are free to move around.  The metal slide for example, absorbs heat from the sun easily and transfers it to you.

Anything that does not allow electrons to flow freely is called an insulator.  Plastic, rubber, paper, glass, cloth, and wood are insulators. The plastic slide for example, does not absorb or transfer heat.

Electrical wires are made of metal to allow electrons to flow easily through them. The wires are wrapped in plastic or rubber to stop the electric wires from coming into contact with each other. The insulators protect us from the electricity.


  Video

Test materials to see if they conduct electricity is easy. You need a source of electricity, a lamp, and wires to connect to the material. Watch Conductors and Insulators to learn more.



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