Conductors versus Insulators

Conductors versus Insulators

In Lesson 1, we mentioned that electricity is the flow of electrons through a wire. But what keeps those electrons from spilling out or flowing wherever they want? This is because the wires within the cable in your walls are electrical conductors while the plastic around the wires and cable are insulators.

Conductors are materials that have a loose interaction with their electrons (or at least their outer electrons). This allows the electron flow to move through these materials. Metals like copper, silver, gold, aluminum, and iron are great conductors. Insulators, on the other hand, have a tight bond with their electrons. This means that electricity does not flow through insulators. Plastic, rubber, and glass are good examples of insulators.

This is why wires are often made out of copper with a rubber-plastic coating!