Conductors and Insulators

Learning objectives

To introduce the notions of conductors, insulators and electrical resistance.
To approach the risk of electrocution.

The electrical behavior of matter enables us to classify it into two categories:

Conductors
Insulators

All matter is made up of electric charges. A conductor contains large numbers of electric charges that are free to move around (in a metal, these are electrons). A large current can pass through them. An insulator contains large numbers of electric charges, but they are not free to move around, and only a small current can pass through them.

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