What do electrical conductors do and what kind of objects are conductors?

Question

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Answer 1

Electrical conductors are materials whose outer atomic electrons are loosely bound. The best conductors are all metals, with silver (not gold) having the least resistance to current flow. Copper is next best and for economical reasons is most often used for wiring. Aluminum is used for high voltage power transmission lines because its low density results in the lightest cable for a given resistance.

Consider that a copper wire contains countless copper atoms, all in close proximity. Because copper is a good conductor, the outermost atomic electrons are free to move from one atom to the next. In fact, even with no net current flow, the conduction electrons are constantly moving from one atom to the next. Every atom "wants" to have the correct number of electrons (29 for copper) so as soon as it loses one, it gains another. When a voltage is applied across the length of the wire, extra electrons pour into the wire from the negative end and excess electrons drain out of the wire from the positive. This happens so each atom in the wire always has an average of 29 electrons. Although the speed of the atoms in the wire is slow (a few centimeters per second) a wave of excess electrons propagates at the speed of light (300 million meters/second). A good way to visualize this is to imagine a pipe exactly filled with glass marbles, which represent electrons. If I push one extra marble into one end of the pipe, another marble instantly pops out of the far end of the pipe. Notice that all the marbles are actually moving quite slowly. That's analogous to how electricity propagates at the speed of light, even though the electrons are moving slowly.

It is the speed of the electrons moving in the wire (not the speed of the wave propagation) which ultimately determines what the resistivity of a given metal will be.

Answer 2

Electrical conductors are matter that can transfer electricity from one point to another. The best conductors of electricity are metals, with gold being number one. Another thing that conducts electricity real well though, the human body.

Answer 3

Conductors are materials which allow electrons to flow through them easily. This largely the metals group. Gold, copper, aluminum and mercury are examples.

Answer 4

They attract electricity, for the purpose of transfering current. anything that electricity will go thru is a conductor: water, metal, copper, etc.

Answer 5

conductors can transport electrons through a designated path to terminate at destination usually to accomplish work.