2007-01-11 11:44:19 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
first of all, anything can be a conductor or an insulator. It is said that air is an insulator, but when the difference in charge (voltage) is strong enough, it become a conductor (that's how lightning occurs, because of a difference in charge between a cloud and the earth).
We define things as conductors and insulators in relation to one another. Different materials hold their electrons with different amounts of energy. Metals tend to have a looser hold on their electrons than nonmetals, so they let electrons move through them more easily than (electron movement is electricity). Since metals seem to conduct electricity better (when compared to nonmetals) we call metals conductors.
2007-01-11 11:56:50 · answer #1 · answered by chpsalumni 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whether there are free electrons. Free electrons means conductor, bound electrons means insulator, and electrons that can be freed under an electric field means semiconductor.
2007-01-11 11:53:01 · answer #2 · answered by Julian A 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Whether or not it conducts electricity.
2007-01-11 11:49:20 · answer #3 · answered by Mike O 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋