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Nov 26, 2025
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Understanding Conductors and Insulators in Physics
Ella Nadine
@nadenden
1 / 10
Insulators and Conductors: Metals and Non-Metals
Electricity's path through materials depends on whether they allow charges to flow. This fundamental property determines how we use materials in electrical applications.
Think about the devices around you - from your phone to your lamp. Each contains materials specifically chosen for their ability to either conduct or block electrical current.
Quick Fact: The difference between conductors and insulators comes down to how freely electrons can move within the material's atomic structure.
Insulators
Insulators are materials that resist the flow of electrical charges. When you touch a plastic handle instead of a metal one, you're experiencing insulation at work.
Common insulators include rubber, plastic, mica, paper, glass, and air. These materials have tightly bound electrons that cannot easily move, preventing electricity from flowing through them.
You'll find insulators used as protective coverings on electrical wires, handles on tools, and in many household items where preventing electrical flow is important for safety.
Conductors
Conductors are materials that allow electrical charges to flow freely. Metals make excellent conductors because they contain plenty of free electrons that can move throughout the material.
When you plug in a device, electricity flows through metal wires to power it. Conductors are essential for creating complete circuits that allow electricity to do useful work.
Metals also conduct heat well, which is why cooking pots and pans are typically made of metal. This property helps heat transfer quickly and evenly to your food.
Semiconductors
Semiconductors sit between conductors and insulators in terms of electrical conductivity. They're unique because their conducting properties can be precisely controlled.
Pure semiconductors like silicon and germanium act as insulators, but adding tiny amounts of other elements (about one part per million) dramatically changes their behavior. This process, called doping, is the foundation of modern electronics.
Amazing Tech: Without semiconductors, we wouldn't have transistors or integrated circuits—the building blocks of smartphones, computers, and virtually all modern electronic devices!
Comparing Materials by Conductivity
Materials fall into three main categories based on how well they conduct electricity:
Conductors include metals like copper, mercury, silver, and aluminum. Even non-metals like water, acids, the human body, and moist air can conduct electricity to varying degrees.
Semiconductors include silicon and germanium - materials that have revolutionized our technological world.
Insulators include everyday materials like cotton, wool, wood, rubber, glass, paper, and dry air. These materials keep us safe by preventing unwanted electrical flow.
Superconductors
Superconductors are extraordinary materials that offer virtually no resistance to electrical flow below certain critical temperatures. Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered this phenomenon in 1911 while cooling mercury to about 4 Kelvin .
Most metals can become superconductors when cooled to extremely low temperatures. For example, niobium becomes a superconductor at 9.2 Kelvin.
More recently, scientists developed ceramic superconductors that work at "warmer" temperatures (up to 125 Kelvin). A notable example is YBa₂Cu₃O₇, made from yttrium, barium, copper, and oxygen.
Applications of Superconductors
Superconductors are transforming technology across numerous fields despite their need for extreme cooling.
In transportation, they power maglev trains like the Yamanashi MLX01 that float above tracks using magnetic fields. Medical devices like MRI machines rely on superconducting magnets to create powerful, stable magnetic fields for imaging.
Other applications include particle accelerators, ultra-efficient power transmission, advanced computing, and SQUIDS (Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices) that detect incredibly small magnetic fields.
Future Tech: As researchers develop superconductors that work at higher temperatures, we might someday see superconducting power lines that deliver electricity with virtually no energy loss!
Identifying Conductors and Insulators
You can classify everyday objects based on whether they conduct electricity:
Conductors include metal items like pennies, paper clips, aluminum, jar lids, nickels, nails, and keys. These materials allow electricity to flow through them easily, completing circuits.
Insulators include wooden toothpicks, cardboard strips, rubber bands, Q-tips, and clothes pins. These materials block electrical flow, making them useful as protective barriers.
Some materials like pencil graphite fall somewhere in between, showing properties of both conductors and semiconductors depending on their composition.
Examples in Everyday Life
Conductors and insulators surround us in daily life, each serving important purposes in electrical systems.
Common conductors include metals we use for wiring (copper, aluminum), water, the human body, aqueous salt solutions, and graphite. These materials carry electrical current in everything from power lines to batteries.
Common insulators include plastics, Styrofoam, paper, rubber, glass, and dry air. These materials protect us from electrical shock, separate electrical components, and provide safety in electrical systems.
Safety Tip: Your rubber-soled shoes act as insulators, protecting you from electrical current that might otherwise flow through your body to the ground!
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Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
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I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
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In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
Understanding Conductors and Insulators in Physics
Ella Nadine
@nadenden
Ever wondered why some materials let electricity flow while others block it? Conductors, insulators, semiconductors, and superconductors each play unique roles in how electricity moves through materials. Understanding these differences is crucial for everything from basic circuits to advanced technology.
Insulators and Conductors: Metals and Non-Metals
Electricity's path through materials depends on whether they allow charges to flow. This fundamental property determines how we use materials in electrical applications.
Think about the devices around you - from your phone to your lamp. Each contains materials specifically chosen for their ability to either conduct or block electrical current.
Quick Fact: The difference between conductors and insulators comes down to how freely electrons can move within the material's atomic structure.
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Insulators
Insulators are materials that resist the flow of electrical charges. When you touch a plastic handle instead of a metal one, you're experiencing insulation at work.
Common insulators include rubber, plastic, mica, paper, glass, and air. These materials have tightly bound electrons that cannot easily move, preventing electricity from flowing through them.
You'll find insulators used as protective coverings on electrical wires, handles on tools, and in many household items where preventing electrical flow is important for safety.
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Conductors
Conductors are materials that allow electrical charges to flow freely. Metals make excellent conductors because they contain plenty of free electrons that can move throughout the material.
When you plug in a device, electricity flows through metal wires to power it. Conductors are essential for creating complete circuits that allow electricity to do useful work.
Metals also conduct heat well, which is why cooking pots and pans are typically made of metal. This property helps heat transfer quickly and evenly to your food.
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Semiconductors
Semiconductors sit between conductors and insulators in terms of electrical conductivity. They're unique because their conducting properties can be precisely controlled.
Pure semiconductors like silicon and germanium act as insulators, but adding tiny amounts of other elements (about one part per million) dramatically changes their behavior. This process, called doping, is the foundation of modern electronics.
Amazing Tech: Without semiconductors, we wouldn't have transistors or integrated circuits—the building blocks of smartphones, computers, and virtually all modern electronic devices!
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Comparing Materials by Conductivity
Materials fall into three main categories based on how well they conduct electricity:
Conductors include metals like copper, mercury, silver, and aluminum. Even non-metals like water, acids, the human body, and moist air can conduct electricity to varying degrees.
Semiconductors include silicon and germanium - materials that have revolutionized our technological world.
Insulators include everyday materials like cotton, wool, wood, rubber, glass, paper, and dry air. These materials keep us safe by preventing unwanted electrical flow.
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Superconductors
Superconductors are extraordinary materials that offer virtually no resistance to electrical flow below certain critical temperatures. Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered this phenomenon in 1911 while cooling mercury to about 4 Kelvin .
Most metals can become superconductors when cooled to extremely low temperatures. For example, niobium becomes a superconductor at 9.2 Kelvin.
More recently, scientists developed ceramic superconductors that work at "warmer" temperatures (up to 125 Kelvin). A notable example is YBa₂Cu₃O₇, made from yttrium, barium, copper, and oxygen.
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Applications of Superconductors
Superconductors are transforming technology across numerous fields despite their need for extreme cooling.
In transportation, they power maglev trains like the Yamanashi MLX01 that float above tracks using magnetic fields. Medical devices like MRI machines rely on superconducting magnets to create powerful, stable magnetic fields for imaging.
Other applications include particle accelerators, ultra-efficient power transmission, advanced computing, and SQUIDS (Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices) that detect incredibly small magnetic fields.
Future Tech: As researchers develop superconductors that work at higher temperatures, we might someday see superconducting power lines that deliver electricity with virtually no energy loss!
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Identifying Conductors and Insulators
You can classify everyday objects based on whether they conduct electricity:
Conductors include metal items like pennies, paper clips, aluminum, jar lids, nickels, nails, and keys. These materials allow electricity to flow through them easily, completing circuits.
Insulators include wooden toothpicks, cardboard strips, rubber bands, Q-tips, and clothes pins. These materials block electrical flow, making them useful as protective barriers.
Some materials like pencil graphite fall somewhere in between, showing properties of both conductors and semiconductors depending on their composition.
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Examples in Everyday Life
Conductors and insulators surround us in daily life, each serving important purposes in electrical systems.
Common conductors include metals we use for wiring (copper, aluminum), water, the human body, aqueous salt solutions, and graphite. These materials carry electrical current in everything from power lines to batteries.
Common insulators include plastics, Styrofoam, paper, rubber, glass, and dry air. These materials protect us from electrical shock, separate electrical components, and provide safety in electrical systems.
Safety Tip: Your rubber-soled shoes act as insulators, protecting you from electrical current that might otherwise flow through your body to the ground!
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We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI companion is specifically built for the needs of students. Based on the millions of content pieces we have on the platform we can provide truly meaningful and relevant answers to students. But its not only about answers, the companion is even more about guiding students through their daily learning challenges, with personalised study plans, quizzes or content pieces in the chat and 100% personalisation based on the students skills and developments.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app in the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
I think it’s very much worth it and you’ll end up using it a lot once you get the hang of it and even after looking at others notes you can still ask your Artificial intelligence buddy the question and ask to simplify it if you still don’t get it!!! In the end I think it’s worth it 😊👍 ⚠️Also DID I MENTION ITS FREEE YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING AND STILL GET YOUR GRADES IN PERFECTLY❗️❗️⚠️
Thomas R
iOS user
Knowunity is the BEST app I’ve used in a minute. This is not an ai review or anything this is genuinely coming from a 7th grade student (I know 2011 im young) but dude this app is a 10/10 i have maintained a 3.8 gpa and have plenty of time for gaming. I love it and my mom is just happy I got good grades
Brad T
Android user
Not only did it help me find the answer but it also showed me alternative ways to solve it. I was horrible in math and science but now I have an a in both subjects. Thanks for the help🤍🤍
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
I found this app a couple years ago and it has only gotten better since then. I really love it because it can help with written questions and photo questions. Also, it can find study guides that other people have made as well as flashcard sets and practice tests. The free version is also amazing for students who might not be able to afford it. Would 100% recommend
Aubrey
iOS user
Best app if you're in Highschool or Junior high. I have been using this app for 2 school years and it's the best, it's good if you don't have anyone to help you with school work.😋🩷🎀
Marco B
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This app is phenomenal down to the correct info and the various topics you can study! I greatly recommend it for people who struggle with procrastination and those who need homework help. It has been perfectly accurate for world 1 history as far as I’ve seen! Geometry too!
Paul T
iOS user