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Different types of insulation work in different ways, but each type blocks one of the three types of heat transfer.
Conduction is heat transfer from particle to particle and acts mainly in solids and particularly in metals. This is best prevented by a good insulator, either a good non-metal like plastics or, even better, something with lots of air pockets in it: air is a terrible conductor.
Convection acts in all fluids (that means liquids and gases). Essentially, as fluids are heated they expand. The expanded part of the fluid by the heat source rises (heat rises, or more accurately, heated particles expand, become less dense and rise over the more dense ones). Colder particles come in to take their place and are heated too. Eventually the particles cool and drop back down. This creates a circular convection current. The best way to prevent heat loss by convection is to put something in the way, it can't pass through solids, so a roof works nicely. Double glazing works, by the way, because convection doesn't work in very small spaces.
Radiation is heat travelling in the form of infra-red light. It can pass through most things, but is better reflected by white or shiny surfaces and better abosrbed by dark or black ones. This is why loft insulation often has a reflective side somewhere in it, it reflects the radiation back into the house. Radiation doesn't have a "medium" as such and can pass through anything, but glass is a dead loss as far as insulation is concerned, which is why we have double and triple glazing, it just reflects that little bit more.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoit stops electricity from flowing
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Do cotton balls work as an insulator?
Yes.
Would a copper pipe work better a conductor or an insulator?
A copper pipe would work as a conductor because most metals like copper, they are well conductors. If you want to know an example of an insulator, you can say rubber is a good insulator.
Would a copper pipe work as a better conductor or an insulator?
A copper pipe would work as a conductor because most metals like copper, they are well conductors. If you want to know an example of an insulator, you can say rubber is a good insulator.
What is something that is an insulator?
The most common insulator used for projects, at home or at work is pipe insulation. It works well not only for insulating pipes, but also works for a roller coaster model, fire hose insulator, etc.
Would metal leaf electroscope experiment work if the terminal were made out of an insulator?
No it would not work because an insulator stops electrons from moving from moving to atom to atom so there is no way to get a charge to the metal leaves
Is vinyl a conductor or an insulator?
insulator
Is a wooden Craft stick a conductor or insulation?
It is an insulator.
How does an electrical insulator work?
Any material that does not allow the free flow of electrons.
Find out name of things which work as conductor and insulator?
One electrical conductor is gold. An insulator would be rubber as it is what keeps people from getting electrocuted on wires A thermal conductor can be any metal. A thermal insulator is tin foil.
Is a cloth a conductor or a insulator?
its an insulator
What is insulator strings?
Insulator strings are normally used for high tension wires. They work as the main insulators for wires and assure a smooth connection between the conductors and the poles.
Is chalk an insulator or an conductor?
insulator.
