CBSE Physics Concept Note: Difference Between Insulator & Conductor
BY Team Aakash Byju's
The movement of electric current or heat through a medium is known as conduction.
Materials are categorised into two kinds based on conduction. These include:
– Insulators and
– Conductors
Types of materials based on conduction:
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An insulator is a material or object that doesn’t allow electric current or heat to flow through it.
Paper, plastic, rubber, glass and air.
Examples
Conductor is a material that allows electric current or heat to flow through it.
Copper, silver, gold, steel, mercury and seawater.
Examples
A conductor allows the flow of current or heat, but the insulator doesn’t allow the flow of current or heat.
Differences between Insulator and Conductor
A conductor can store energy but an insulator can’t store energy.
The thermal conduction of a conductor is more, and the thermal conduction of an insulator is less.
Conductors have
free-moving electrons, but insulators do not have free-moving electrons.
Conductors are used to manufacture electric wires, and insulators are used to manufacture insulation of electric wires.