Types of Materials Based on Conductivity
Materials can be classified into three broad categories based on their electrical conductivity:
Conductors
The characteristics, examples, applications of conductors are :
- Characteristics: Conductors have a high density of free electrons that can move easily in response to an electric field. This enables the efficient flow of electric current through the material with minimal resistance.
- Examples: Metals such as copper, silver, gold, aluminum, and iron are excellent conductors of electricity.
- Applications: Conductors are widely used in electrical wiring, circuitry, power transmission lines, and various electronic components where low resistance and high conductivity are required.
Insulators
The characteristics, examples, applications of Insulators are :
- Characteristics: Insulators have very low electrical conductivity, meaning they impede the flow of electric current. This is due to their lack of free electrons or tightly bound electrons, which makes it difficult for charge carriers to move through the material.
- Examples: Materials such as glass, rubber, plastic, ceramic, and wood are insulators.
- Applications: Insulators are used to isolate electrical components, prevent the flow of current in unwanted directions, and provide electrical safety. They are commonly found in electrical insulation, protective coatings, and insulating materials for cables and electronic devices.
Semiconductors – Bridging the Gap Between Conductors and Insulators
- The characteristics, examples, applications of Semiconductors are :
- Characteristics: Semiconductors have an intermediate level of electrical conductivity between conductors and insulators. Their conductivity can be significantly altered by factors such as temperature, doping, and applied voltage.
- Examples: Silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and various semiconductor compounds.
- Applications: Semiconductors are fundamental to modern electronics, serving as the basis for transistors, diodes, integrated circuits, and other semiconductor devices.
Electrical Conductivity
Electrical conductivity is a fundamental property that measures a material’s ability to conduct electric current. It varies among materials and is influenced by factors such as temperature, material composition, impurities, and pressure. Electrical conductivity is typically measured in siemens per meter (S/m).
Electrical conductivity finds applications in electronics, power transmission, material science, environmental science, geology, biomedical fields, and more. In this article, we learn about electrical conductivity in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Electrical Conductivity?
- Electrical Conductivity Examples
- Electrical Conductivity of Metals
- Factors Influencing Electrical Conductivity
- How is Electrical Conductivity Measured?
- Applications of Electrical Conductivity