How come electricity can travel through metal and not through rubber or other materials?

Answer 1

valence electrons. or electrons that are not held by magnetic fields as strong as the rest. if the electrons can be "stolen" repeatedly then electricity can move or flow along the path of least resistance

Answer 2

In science and engineering, conductors are materials that contain movable charges of electricity. When an electric potential difference is impressed across separate points on a conductor, the mobile charges within the conductor are forced to move, and an electric current between those points appears in accordance with Ohm's law. While many conductors are metallic, there are many non-metallic conductors as well, including all plasmas. See electrical conduction for more information on the physical mechanism for charge flow in materials.

Under normal conditions, all materials offer some resistance to flowing charges, which generates heat. Thus, proper design of an electrical conductor includes an estimate of the temperature that the conductor is expected to endure without damage, as well as the quantity of electrical current. The motion of charges also creates an electromagnetic field around the conductor that exerts a mechanical radial squeezing force on the conductor. A conductor of a given material and volume (length x cross-sectional area) has no real limit to the current it can carry without being destroyed as long as the heat generated by the resistive loss is removed and the conductor can withstand the radial forces. This effect is especially critical in printed circuits, where conductors are relatively small and the heat produced, if not properly removed, can cause fusing (melting) of the tracks.

Non-conducting materials lack mobile charges and are called insulators. A material can be an electrical conductor without being a thermal conductor, although a metal can be both an electrical conductor and a thermal conductor. Electrically conductive materials are usually classified according to their electrical resistance; ranging from high to null resistance, there are semiconductors, ordinary metallic conductors (also called normal metals), and superconductors.

Answer 3

Rubber keeps its electrons to itself, metals look more like a bunch of nuclei constantly swapping electrons, they hold their outermost (valence) electrons so loosly that if you shove one more electron in one end, one will likly pop out the other end.

Also, Electricity does pass through rubber, even from an electric cord to the earth through you! Because the resistance is so high, (and V=IR) the actuall current is undetectable.

Furthermore, distilled water is a terrible conductor, add a grain or 2 of salt and EVERYTHING changes.

Answer 4

Metal is a good conductor while rubber and similar materials are not good conductors. That's why insulation on an electrical cord works. It doesn't conduct the electricity from the metal to you....unless the cord is frayed and there is a short.

Answer 5

The electrons do not truly flow a lot because the ability does (insert physics and EE stuff right here) yet chillier metal is a more effective efficient conductor than warm metal. for this reason a person-friendly bulb is maximum apt to burn out once you first turn it on, exceptionally in the chilly. initially the chilly filament will attempt to carry more effective present day, because it heats up and starts to produce person-friendly, the resistance will improve. If the bulb is close to the end of its existence, that surge can end it off with a flash. To the guy with the radio, that effect is a function, the device is warming as a lot as a threat-free operating temp so it doesn't blow out like a porch lite on a cold evening. Your question opt to be more effective certain, are you asking about power, or signal?

Answer 6

Electrical conductivity is a property of an element with many electrons in its outer ring.

Electricity is the movement of electrons.

The number of electrons in the most outer ring of an element determines it's electrical characteristics. The more there are the better of a conductor it is.

The electrons in the outer ring are the ones that are most easy to make move to another atom and therefore promote electron movement (ie electric current).

The minimum number is one. The elements with one electron in their outer ring are the best insulators like rubber and glass.

I learned this while sleeping every day in Mr. Walkers Chemistry class.

Answer 7

Metals have a lot of free electrons.These are free to move about anywhere in the metal.These electrons serve as carriers of electricity while in rubber all the electrons are tightly bound .Hence there are no free carriers resulting in non conductuion in rubber.

Answer 8

Good question! Electric current is the movement of charged particles, usually electrons. An atom consists of negatively charged electrons, arranged in orbital layers, surrounding a positively charged nucleus, which does not easily move if it is locked in a solid matrix.

In a metal, the atoms which make up the metal crystals easily share their outermost electrons, which means those electrons can move from atom to atom through the crystal, allowing current to flow if an electric field is present in the metal (as it is if there is a voltage difference between two points in the metal.)

In an insulator, the outermost electrons are so tightly bound to their respective atoms that they cannot jump from atom to atom, and so electric current cannot flow in the insulator, no matter if there is an electric field present in the insulator.

Why are electrons able to move from atom to atom in a metal, and tightly bound in an insulator? That's actually a question of quantum mechanics, solid state quantum mechanics in particular. To answer that question, you need to understand this branch of physics.

Answer 9

Rubber and wood are a good insulator. Metals are conductors. Pure water is an insulator, but most water has iron and other metals and that is why regular water is a good conductor. gsschulte is also correct as well.

Answer 10

the number of free electrons (ELECTRONS IN CONDUCTION BAND) in a rubber or any other insulter is very-very less whereas in a metal they are plenty so only rubber or any other insulter is a bad conductor of electricity yeah i hope u understand now