Conductors and Insulators

Introduction:-

Have you ever tried to stir boiling soup using a metal spoon? If you have tried so, you know how quickly heat energy flows from the hot soup, through the spoon, to your hand. Do you remember; how your fingers began to get hot??? This is because heat travels faster through metal. Substances like metal are called conductors.

Materials that conduct ( allow ) heat or electricity flow through them are known as conductors. Materials that do not conduct heat or electricity are known as insulators. Insulators and conductors have many useful functions.

Examples of conductors are metals, the human body, Earth and animals. The human body is a strong conductor. It, therefore, offers a resistance-free route from a current-carrying wire through the body for the current to flow. Conductors have free electrons on their surface that allow the easy passage of current. This is the reason that electricity transmits freely through the conductors.

Electrical Conductor

Materials that allow electricity to pass through them easily are called electrical conductors. Examples of these materials include many metals, such as iron, steel, copper, and aluminum.

Thermal Conductors

Materials that allow heat to pass through them easily are called thermal conductors. Metals, such as aluminum, copper, steel, and iron, are all good thermal conductors. Thermal conductors can be useful when it is necessary to cool things down, or heat them up, quickly. A metal saucepan, for example, allows heat to transfer quickly to the food inside it.

You will need:

Battery

Torch Bulb or LED

Bulb holder if your are using torch bulb

Connecting Wire

Data Collection and Analysis

B.S.Bisht

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