What happens in charge polarization?

Question

In Physics class, we've been doing electricity and magnetism. The part on charge polarization is extremely brief. It just says that in a conductor, free electrons move over the surface from one side to the opposite side. What happens when they move to another side?
Could anyone please explain to me charge polarization in both conductors and insulators, as well as when a charged object polarizes another, why is there an attraction?

Answer 1

Here is my addition five cents in the addition to material contributed by Gene.
Also please check the reference provided for more detailed information. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_conduction) see “Solids (including insulating solids)”

In general the atomic and molecular composition of the materials determines if a particular material will be a conductor or an insulator. In a conductor the banding or the band structure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_structure) of the atoms allow electrons to freely move from one atom to its neighbor. As a result the charge will be evenly distributed trough out the surface. In the insulator, there are very few or no free electrons) the charges will group on one side creating deficiency of that charge on the apposite side hence creating charge polarization.
This is my interpretation

Let me know what you think.

Answer 2

In a conductor, electrons move to one side of the conductor where an excess of electrons collect to yield a negative charge. The other side of the conductor is left with atoms with a scarcity of electrons so that side looks positive.

In a dielectric (insulator) the atoms or molecules in an electric filed can distort so the electron spends more time on one side of the atom or the molecule and the net effect is that it forms an electric field that opposes the applied external field.