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CONDUCTORS
These are materials in which
it is easy to get electrons to move and provide a flow of electric current.
Conductors are mostly metals
such as gold, silver, copper, iron and lead.
Carbon is a conductor as
well as some gases (as in fluorescent tubes) and water containing some
chemicals.
These are not perfect conductors
and offer some resistance to the flow of current.
The resistance of a conductor
(such as a metal rod) is determined by three things.
(1) its length. The longer
its length the higher its resistance.
(2) its cross-sectional
area. The bigger this is the lower is its resistance.
(3) the material of which
it is made.
All materials have RESISTIVITY.
The higher the value of
resistivity the higher the resistance.
It is measured in OHM METRES.
length x resistivity
Resistance =
-------------------------------
cross-sectional area
INSULATORS
These are materials in which
it is difficult to get current to flow.
Examples are rubber, pvc,
paper, polystyrene and oil.
Even with these it is possible
to get some current flowing if the applied voltage is high enough.
There is another class of
materials called semi-conductors.
These have a resistance
between insulators and conductors.
Examples are silicon and
germanium and are used in diodes and transistors. |