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SNC1D
PHYSICS
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTRICITY
L Insulators & Conductors
(P.400-401)

Electrical Insulators & Conductors

Scientists have categorized most materials into two categories based on
their conductivity: conductors and insulators. Conductivity is the ability
of materials to allow electrons to move freely in them. Copper wire (a) is a
conductor while ceramic (b) is an insulator.

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

CONDUCTIVITY
ability of a material to allow electrons to move freely in them
two categories L insulators and conductors

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Electrical Insulators
Materials that hold onto their electrons and do not allow them to move
easily are called electrical insulators. This is because the electrons () are
bound tightly to the nuclei (+). An electrical insulator is a solid, liquid, or
gas that resists or blocks the movement of electrons. Dry wood, glass, and
plastic are all examples of electrical insulators. An insulator can hold a
static charge because the static charges remain nearly fixed in place.

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Electrical Insulators
INSULATOR
material that resists or blocks the movement of electrons
can hold a static charge (since the charges are unable to move)
plastic, glass, rubber, pure water, dry air,

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1DPHYS - Insulators & Conductors

Electrical Conductors
Materials that allow electrons to change positions are called conductors.
In this case the electrons () are not as tightly bound to the nuclei (+) and
so they can move away from the nuclei. Metals such as copper are
considered good conductors since they hold their outer electrons loosely.
So metals, in general, are good conductors of electricity. Other common
metal conductors are aluminum, silver, and gold.

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Electrical Conductors
CONDUCTOR
material that allows electrons to change position easily
most metals, tap water (contains minerals), moist air,

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1DPHYS - Insulators & Conductors

Insulator or Conductor?
You may have noticed that your hair does not stick to your hat on wet,
humid days. In humid air, water molecules have more opportunity to
bump into nearby objects. During these bumps, water molecules are
able to transfer electrons from negatively charged objects to positively
charged objects. As a result, charged objects tend to lose their charge
quickly in humid weather.

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1DPHYS - Insulators & Conductors

Insulator or Conductor?
However, in dry weather, there are fewer water molecules in the air, so
charged objects are less likely to lose charge by bumping into water
molecules. So the charged objects stay charged in dry weather, making
your hair more prone to static electricity.

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1DPHYS - Insulators & Conductors

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

Some materials known as fair conductors allow only some movement of
electrons. In a fair conductor, the electrons do not move as freely as in
a conductor, but they are not held as tightly in place as they are in an
insulator. The table below gives some examples of conductors, fair
conductors, and insulators.
Conductors

Fair Conductors

Insulators

copper

water with dissolved

minerals

rubber

aluminum

moist air

wood

iron

human body

plastic

mercury

carbon

pure water

other metals

soil

metal oxides, such as

rust

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1DPHYS - Insulators & Conductors

Electrical Insulators & Conductors

NOTE!
There are variations within each category, as some materials are better or
poorer conductors than others. Do you notice anything strange though?

Conductors

Fair Conductors

Insulators

copper

water with dissolved

minerals

rubber

aluminum

moist air

wood

iron

human body

plastic

mercury

carbon

pure water

other metals

soil

metal oxides, such as

rust

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

Water is an insulator only if it is pure! However, most water has dissolved
minerals in it, so it becomes a fair conductor. This is why you do not want
to be in a lake during a thunderstorm. If lightning hits the water, the
electric charges from the lightning will spread out through the water and
cause you serious or fatal injury.
Conductors

Fair Conductors

Insulators

copper

water with dissolved

minerals

rubber

aluminum

moist air

wood

iron

human body

plastic

mercury

carbon

pure water

other metals

soil

metal oxides, such as

rust

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

This is also why you should not use water to try
to put out an electrical fire (the electric charges
will travel through the water and cause you
serious or fatal injury). You also need to take
care not to operate electrical appliances near
water or with wet hands.

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
1. Why should you not use water to put out
an electrical fire?
the electric charges will travel through the
water and cause you serious or fatal injury

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
2. What is the difference between a conductor and a fair conductor?
in a fair conductor the electrons do not move as freely as they do in a
conductor

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
3. While fishing in an aluminum boat in the
middle of a lake, you notice storm clouds
forming nearby. Why is it a good idea to
get to shore as fast as possible?
lake water is a fair conductor so if
lightning hits the water, the electric
charges from the lightning will spread out
through the water and cause you a serious
or fatal injury

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
4. Would your answer to the previous
question change if the lake somehow
became filled with distilled water with no
ions present? Explain why or why not.
no even though pure water is an
insulator lightning will tend to strike the
tallest object (which is you, sitting in a
boat, on a lake)

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
5. An electric fence consists of a
metal wire and a plastic insulator.
(a) What is the purpose of each?
(a) the
metal
wire
allows
electrons to move and the
plastic insulator prevents the
movement of electrons into
ground along the metal rod

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
5. An electric fence consists of a
metal wire and a plastic insulator.
(b) If you use an insulator to
touch the electric fence, will
you receive a shock? Explain.
(b) no insulators do not allow
the flow of electrons

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Electrical Insulators & Conductors

PRACTICE
6. Electricians often use screwdrivers
that have thick rubber handles.
Explain why.
rubber is an insulator it protects
them from getting shocked

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U Check Your Learning

1. Is each of the following items a conductor or an insulator?
conductor
(a) iron nail
insulator
(b) glass jar
insulator
(c) dry air
conductor
(d) gold ring
conductor
(e) carbon rod
insulator
(f) wooden spoon

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U Check Your Learning

2. Two new materials have been discovered. One is shiny and has a
metallic look, while the other is dull and has a non-metallic look.
Although you think that one is a conductor and the other is an
insulator, you want to be certain. Describe a test you could do to test
the conductivity of these two materials.

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U Check Your Learning

3. A golfer and her caddy see lightning nearby. The golfer is about to
take a shot with a metal club, while her caddy is holding a plastichandled umbrella. Which person is at a greater risk? Explain your
answer.
the golfer with the metal club metal is a conductor

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U Check Your Learning

TEXTBOOK
P.403 Q.8,9,13

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