Conductors and Insulators

Question 1

What is the difference between a conductor and an insulator?

Answer 1

Conductor - is a material that allows electrical charges to flow through it easily

Insulator - is a material that does not allow charges to flow through it easily

Question 2

What property of a material determines whether it is a conductor or an insulator?

Answer 2

The number of free electrons in a material determines whether it is a conductor on an insulator

Question 3

How is the conductivity of the material measured?

Answer 3

The conductivity of a material is measured in terms of its resistivity, which is the degree to which the material resists the flow of electrical current.

Question 4

What are some common examples of good electrical conductors?

Answer 4

copper
aluminium
silver
gold
iron
carbon
brass
bronze
stainless steel
graphite

Question 5

Where are electrical insulators commonly used?

Answer 5

electrical wiring
electrical equipment
electronics
high voltage power lines to prevent the flow of electrical current to unintended locations or objects.

Question 6

What are semiconductors?

Answer 6

materials with average conductivity levels that can be used in electronic devices such as transistors and integrated circuits.

Question 7

How can the conductivity of a semiconductor be controlled for a specifc purpose?

Answer 7

by introducing impurities into the material through a process known as doping.