Electrical Materials Flashcards
parts or elements used in the making of any electrical construction project, developed and constructed for certain purposes
Electrical Materials
Classification of Electrical Materials in terms of Electrical Conductivity
conductors, insulators, semiconductors, superconductors
materials allowing for easy passage of free electrons
conductors
materials impeding the passage of free electrons
insulators
materials allowing for easy passage of free electrons and impeding the passage of free electrons
semiconductors
electric materials with some unique characteristics
superconductors
an object or type of material that permits the flow of electric charges from one particle to another
conductors
electrons of the atoms comprising a mass of metal are so uninhibited in their allowable energy states that they _________ between the different nuclei in the substance, readily motivated by any electric field.
float freely
sometimes described by scientists as an electron gas, or even an electron sea in which the atomic nuclei rest
electrons
electron mobility accounts for some of the other common properties of metals which are
good heat conductivity, malleability and ductility, lustrous finish when pure
Example of conductor materials
silver, gold, steel, sea water
What is a conductor’s current-carrying limit called?
ampacity
A wire with ________ resistance will dissipate a _______ amount of heat energy for any given amount of current.
greater, greater
Thin wires will, therefore, tolerate _____ current than thick wires.
less
Dissipated power due to a conductor’s resistance manifests itself in the form of _______.
heat
particles of the _______ do not permit the free flow of electric charges
insulator
The atoms in insulating materials have very _____ bound electrons, _______ free electron flow very well.
tightly, resisting
conductors current are in ______ to applied voltage
linear proportion
Threshold voltage is also known as
breakdown voltage or dielectric strength
Examples of Insulators
rubber, glass, oil, dry wood
voltage required to cause dielectric breakdown
dielectric strength
forcing current through an insulating material is called?
dielectric breakdown
an excellent insulating material and is very thin, allowing many turns of wire to be wound in a small space
enamel
materials that exhibit electrical behavior somewhere between that of conductors and that of insulators
semiconductors
exhibits intermediate conductivity
semiconductors
has more available charge carriers than an insulator but fewer than a conductor
semiconductor
Examples of semiconductor
silicon, germanium
Both silicon and germanium have ____ valence band electrons
four
state of an atom with four valence electrons available for covalent chemical bonding in its outermost electron shell
tetravalent atoms
What is the sharing of valence electrons called?
covalent bonding
makes it more difficult for materials to move their electrons into the conduction band
covalent bonding
can be used in the fabrication of resistors, capacitors, inductors, and—most importantly—transistors
semiconductors
can combine millions or even billions of transistors into one small package
integrated circuits
material that acts strangely when cooled down to a certain temperature
superconductors
when these materials are at that one special temperature, which we call the critical temperature, they suddenly become perfect conductors, means that their resistance is zero
superconductors
critical temperature is usually between
absolute zero and 10 Kelvin (between -273 Celsius and -263 Celsius)
discovered superconductivity in mercury (Hg) in 1911, for which he won a Nobel prize
Heike Onnes
Most metals ______ electrical resistance with decreasing temperature.
decrease
mercury (Hg) is unique in that its resistance abruptly drops to zero Ω at ______
4.2 K
Example of superconductors
lead, aluminum, tin, niobium
High temperature superconductors are compounds exhibiting superconductivity above the liquid nitrogen boiling point of ____ (-196.15 Celsius).
77 K
Two categories of classification of electrical components
Active components, passive components
components that supply and control energy
active components
components that respond to the flow of electrical energy and can dissipate or store energy
passive components