A conductor is a material that allows electricity to flow through it. An Insulator is a material that electricity cannot flow through.
To determine whether an object is a conductor or insulator, you can build a simple circuit with a battery, light bulb, and three pieces of wire.
Touch the free ends of the wire to the object you are testing. If the light bulb lights up, the object is made from a conductor. If it does not, the object is made from an insulator.
Object
Conductor / Insulator
Rubber band
Penny
Nickel
Tooth pick
Key
Paper clip
Brass paper fastener
Glass microscope slide
To determine whether an object is a conductor or insulator, you can build a simple circuit with a battery, light bulb, and three pieces of wire.
Important Questions on Chemical Effects of Electric Current
We can easily draw electrical circuits by following some simple rules.
1. Use a ruler to draw straight lines to represent the wires.
2. Use the correct circuit symbols to represent different components.
3. Ensure that the circuit is closed and has no gaps.
Write down as many things as possible that is wrong with the circuit below?
Sulphur is an electrical insulator, but it can be made to conduct electricity if a very bright light shines on it. A very bright light shines onto a small circular area in the centre of the charged slab of sulphur. The pattern of charge on the sulphur alters. The simplified diagram represents the new pattern of charge.
Explain why the pattern alters in this way.
