2007-04-14 10:39:58 · 8 answers · asked by Regina M 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Congress passed a resolution making it a felony for rubber to conduct electricity.
2007-04-14 10:42:51 · answer #1 · answered by AL 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Rubber is produced from various hydrocarbons (compuonds that consist of hydroben and carbon atoms). Both of these elements are nonmetallic. Metal atoms bond together by the magnetic forces caused by the nuclei of each atom free-floating in a sea of electrons. The free electrons move to conduct electricity. Since the particles in rubber are not metals, they do not have the same free movement of electrons, eliminating a flow of electricity.
2007-04-14 10:52:55 · answer #2 · answered by soxfan77 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Conduction of electric current only occurs when there are 'charge carriers' (usually electrons) present in the dmaterial. If these charge carriers are free to move within the material, and electric field will cause them to all move in one direction. This flow of charge is what is called an 'electric current'. In some materials, all of the electrons are 'bound' in the chemical bonds between the atoms (or molecules) of the material so there are no free charge carriers available. These materials are called 'insulators'. In other materials (notable most metals) there are a couple of electrons 'left over' after all of the outermost bonding orbitals have been filled, and these are available to conduct charge within the material.
HTH.
Doug
2007-04-14 10:48:03 · answer #3 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The reason that rubber does not conduct elecricity is because that the chemical makeup of rubber contains neither metals nor oxides (both of which do conduct electricity.)
Technology has not yet developed any chemical 'additives' to alter this chemical basis.
And the original chemical composition of rubber makes it an excellent insulator (which is one feature that is used in many alternative ways (one is to prevent electrical current from flowing.)
Rubber is the YIN to the (metallic) YANG.
2007-04-14 10:58:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
rubber is a carbon based material with no electrolytes in it. Carbon is a non-metal, and being a non metal it doesn't conduct electricity. The reason our skin can pass elec. is because we carry electrolytes, ions dissolved in a solution (in this case our bodies) which carry the charges. The only other way to pass a charge is with a metal. Metal's electrons are delocalized, which means they all hover over all the nuclei and not just one, so it can pass a charge from one electron to another.
2007-04-14 10:53:35 · answer #5 · answered by KerryK 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Rubber has a full outer valence shell.
Good electrical conductors, as with good heat conductors, typically have an incomplete outer electron shell. Elements and compounds with full outer valence shells do not readily gain or give up electrons because they are in a stable energy state, so they do not conduct electricity or heat. This is the case with rubber, plastics, wood, and even, believe it or not, pure water. Sea water, or water with ions or impurities (like tap water) does conduct electricity.
2007-04-14 10:50:54 · answer #6 · answered by Matt 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Some does. Can be made to do so deliberately for user in RFI gaskets. Is done accidentally when carbon black is used to make it black. Black rubber pads are not suitable as insulators when working on high voltage electrical circuits if you plan on depending on them to insulate yourself from ground.
2007-04-14 12:28:52 · answer #7 · answered by ZORCH 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is an insulator
2007-04-14 10:43:15 · answer #8 · answered by the truth 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋