Automotive Industries Unit 10

1 Read the descriptions of the electrical components and complete the table.

Conductors
A component which allows the flow of an electrical current through it is called a conductor. A conductor can be a
wire or a bar. Some materials have properties that allow electricity to pass very freely through them. These materials
are said to be ‘good conductors’ with ‘low resistance’. Examples of good conductors are: copper, platinum, gold
and silver.
Several factors affect the resistance of a conductor, for example. the material, length and temperature of the
conductor. Some conductors become more resistant as the temperature rises; other conductors become less resistant
as the temperature rises.
Insulators
A component which resists the flow of an electrical current through it is called an insulator. Good insulating materials
include glass, plastic, rubber and porcelain.
Electrical cables are covered in an insulation material, like PVC or rubber. The current runs along the wire inside the
cable.
Semiconductors
A component that allows some electricity to flow through it, but which offers some resistance, is called a
semiconductor. Semiconductors are materials which have a resistance value higher than a good conductor, but lower
than an insulator.
Silicon and germanium are two materials used in semiconductors. By themselves, they do not conduct electricity,
but when mixed with other materials they do.
The resistance of semiconductors can change when the temperature rises or falls, or when exposed to light. An
example of a semiconductor is the temperature sensor. When the temperature rises, this affects the electrical current
in a circuit, and indicates a change in temperature.

Component Property Example Material

conductor

resists the flow

of an electrical
current
silicon, germanium

2 Complete the sentences with words from 1.

1 A component is a part of a machine.
2 The qualities that a material has (e.g. electrical) are called .
3 are materials like copper that allow electricity to pass through
them easily.
4 An prevents electricity from passing from a wire to a metal object
next to it.
5 A material which has a high is not a good conductor.
6 Sensors notice a difference in the strength of the in a circuit.
7 Light and heat can the performance of a semiconductor.

© Pearson Longman 2008 www.pearsonlongman.com/technicalenglish

 Automotive Industries Unit 10

3 Complete the text with words or phrases from the box and the diagrams.
blade connectors / blown fuse / conductor / current / fuses / higher / lower / overheat /
plastic housing / resistance / signals
conductor blown fuse

plastic
housing

blade
connectors

Wire: Some wires in a car carry very little (1) current . They carry (2) from
switches and sensors. Other wires carry a lot of current, for example, to power the starter motor. Each
type of wire has a certain amount of (3) per metre. The longer the wire, the
(4) the resistance. Automotive wire is made from strands of copper. The finer the
strands, the (5) the resistance.
Fuses: If too much current goes through a wire, it can (6) and melt. Then the wire has
to be replaced, which is a difficult job. To prevent this from happening, (7) are included
in an electrical circuit. Automotive fuses have two (8) which complete the circuit. Inside
the (9) is the (10) , which carries the current. The conductor has a lower
melting point than the wire of the circuit. If the wire carries too much current, the heat of the current
melts the conductor and ‘blows’ the fuse. A (11) must be replaced with a good one. Then
the electrical circuit will work again.

4 Replace the word(s) in italics with the word(s) in brackets. Make any necessary changes in J7276
punctuation and word order. Use your notebook. PEARSON Technical English
Automotive Industries
Example: 1  The driver left the headlights on, so the car had a flat battery. aw_10_01

1 The car had a flat battery because the driver left the headlights on. (so)
2 The driver tried the starter motor again and again, and as a result the battery became flat. (since)
3 Since the driver didn’t have a spare fuse, he couldn’t replace the blown fuse. (therefore)
4 The wrong fuse was used and therefore the wire in the circuit melted. (since)
5 The mechanic couldn’t repair the car as he didn’t have a wiring diagram for it. (and as a result)
6 The current in the circuit was too high and as a result the fuse blew. (because)
7 The rear windscreen heater was broken, so the driver couldn’t see out of the rear window. (as)

5 Match the car components with their properties.

1 electric cable a) flexible, durable, shock-absorbant
2 leaf-type springs b) fade-resistant, heat-resistant
3 fuel-tank c) flexible, inelastic
4 tyres d) impact-resistant
5 brake-drums e) flexible, fuel-resistant, water-resistant
6 diesel engine f) durable
7 seat belts g) flexible, skid-resistant

© Pearson Longman 2008 www.pearsonlongman.com/technicalenglish

 Automotive Industries Unit 10

Word List
6 Write the meanings of these words and phrases in your own language.
NOUNS ADJECTIVES

conductor durable

copper fade-resistant

fuse fine

germanium impact-resistant

gold shock-absorbant

housing skid-resistant

insulator VERBS

platinum affect

porcelain blow / blew/ blown

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) expose

semiconductor melt

silicon overheat

silver power

strand

NOUN PHRASE

blade connector

leaf-type spring

resistance value

temperature sensor

© Pearson Longman 2008 www.pearsonlongman.com/technicalenglish