0
Why are some solid materials good thermal insulators while others are good conductors?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
The ones that are called conductors, such as copper, and aluminum have many free electrons . free electrons are free to move from one atom to another , they are not closely tied to their nucleus. this flow is called electron drift, in other words current flow. As in a battery where the positive terminal has few electrons, and the negative has millions of electrons. attach a copper wire across them , and you have electron drift (current flow. solid materials such as rubber, plastic or porcelain or any non - metallic material are known as Insulators. They have no free electrons, thus no electron drift (current flow). an example of an insulator are rubber spacers, to make sure the motor cannot be grounded to the steel frame.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What are the classification of materials according to electrical conductivity?
Most substances fall into two categories - conductors and insulators. Conductors are those which electricity can pass through relatively easily. Metals are the usual example, but other substances such as graphite and polar liquids such as water are also good conductors. Insulators are poor conductors: those that electricity cannot pass through easily. Most plastics are insulators. Some substances fall in between: these are semiconductors, which allow electricity through in some instances, but not in others. This property makes them very useful in electronics. Some substances can be such good conductors that, under some circumstances, they can allow electricity to pass through them with no resistance at all. These are called superconductors.
Which is not an insulator?
As the "materials listed below" are not given, insulators are poor conductors of heat or electricity. On a periodic table, insulators tend to be towards the top right corner, so metals tend to not be examples of good insulators that comprise most of the periodic table with the exception of the nonmetals (top right corner, hydrogen). The metallic elements tend to end in -ium, such as aluminium, sodium, gallium, and francium. Others are gold, silver, copper, zinc, and nickel.
What are things that don't conduct heat called?
Some of the best are gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, etc. Perlite is extremely non-conductive. Ordinary materials like paper, wood and rubber are also relatively poor conductors. Please see the link.
What is conduction?
There are two kinds of conduction: thermal conduction and electrical conduction.In thermal conduction, thermal energy (heat) transfers through a substance from a hotter region toward a cooler region. For example, when you dip a metal spoon into a cup of tea, the heat from the hot tea will conduct along the spoon so that the handle becomes warm, even though the handle is not in direct contact with the hot tea.In electrical conduction, free electrons pass through a substance, thus enabling an electric current.Some materials are better conductors than others. Most metals are good thermal conductors, and certain metals (copper, aluminum) are very good electrical conductors. When a material is an exceptionally poor conductor, we call it an insulator. Styrofoam is a good thermal insulator, and glass is a good electrical insulator.
What types of materials does heat not travel through?
Heat can and does travel through all matter. It's just that some materials carry it much slower than others, and these are called insulators. The best ones being foam type materials.
Are nonmetals semiconductors?
Some are, such as silicon and germanium. Others are non-conductors known as insulators, such as glass.
Are metals thermal insulators?
omdat je nou eenmaal moet poepen!!
What are the classification of materials according to electrical conductivity?
Most substances fall into two categories - conductors and insulators. Conductors are those which electricity can pass through relatively easily. Metals are the usual example, but other substances such as graphite and polar liquids such as water are also good conductors. Insulators are poor conductors: those that electricity cannot pass through easily. Most plastics are insulators. Some substances fall in between: these are semiconductors, which allow electricity through in some instances, but not in others. This property makes them very useful in electronics. Some substances can be such good conductors that, under some circumstances, they can allow electricity to pass through them with no resistance at all. These are called superconductors.
Why are some conductors better than others?
well because the particle theory, the conduction makes the conductors have small particles or big so the big ones move faster so they are conductors and the small ones are the insulators
What did Stephen Gray invent?
Stephen Gray invented the concept of electrical conduction through different materials. He also discovered that some materials are conductors of electricity while others are insulators. His work laid the foundation for the development of electrical circuits and the understanding of electrical currents.
Which of the materials below is not an example of a good insulator?
As the "materials listed below" are not given, insulators are poor conductors of heat or electricity. On a Periodic Table, insulators tend to be towards the top right corner, so metals tend to not be examples of good insulators that comprise most of the periodic table with the exception of the nonmetals (top right corner, hydrogen). The metallic elements tend to end in -ium, such as aluminium, sodium, gallium, and francium. Others are gold, silver, copper, zinc, and nickel.
What are materials that are bad conductors?
Insulating materials are. They include glass, plastic, ceramics, rubber, pure water, and others.
How does insulators and resitors and conductor work in a ciriuts?
first of all insulators are better called resistors in circuits. Conductors are in form of wire,and others which allow flow of current. Resistors offer opposition to flow of current delivering controlled amount of electricity.
What materials make a good thermal conductor?
The best element at conducting heat is silver, followed by copper, gold, and aluminum. Nevertheless, diamonds are two to five times as good at conducting heat as copper, and graphene is twice as good as diamonds. (No, I am not making this up; please see the link below.)
How good and bad conductors of heat are useful to us?
Substances that don't have the capacity to carry heat are called bad conductors of heat (or insulators ). Substances that have the capacity to carry heat are called good conductors of heat. As for electricity, it is very, much the same.
What are the characteristics of ceramics?
Physical properties means the behavior of materials in response to physical forces other than mechanical, such as; Volumetric, thermal, electric and electrochemical properties. Most Ceramics are lighter than metals but heavier than polymers. Most ceramics have a higher melting point than most metals as it is that some ceramics such as China can with stand high temperatures to about 1200 degrees centigrade. Ceramics also has lower Electrical and Thermal Conductivity than most metals but the range of value is greater in ceramics permitting some ceramics to be used as insulators, for example Porcelain insulators and others as conductors like Lithium-ion conducting glass-ceramics and oxide ceramics. Thermal expansion is another physical property of ceramics, Ceramic thermal expansion coefficients are less than those of metals but effects are more damaging in ceramics bringing about cracks and other failures(Thermal shock and thermal cracking) as for ceramic materials with relatively high thermal expansion and low thermal conductivity however there is glass ceramics that has low thermal expansion thus resisting thermal shock and thermal cracking, for example Pyrex glass ceramics. Thus the physical properties being but not limited to permeability, elasticity, considerable strength, hardness, brittleness, resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.
Which is not an insulator?
As the "materials listed below" are not given, insulators are poor conductors of heat or electricity. On a periodic table, insulators tend to be towards the top right corner, so metals tend to not be examples of good insulators that comprise most of the periodic table with the exception of the nonmetals (top right corner, hydrogen). The metallic elements tend to end in -ium, such as aluminium, sodium, gallium, and francium. Others are gold, silver, copper, zinc, and nickel.
