Electrostatics
8.0 Insulators and conductors
8.0 Insulators and conductors
On the basis of electrostatic theory all substances can be divided into three main groups,
- Conductors
- Insulators
- Semiconductors
Conductors: An electrical conductor is a substance in which electrical charge carriers, usually electrons, move easily from atom to atom with the application of voltage.
Example: Metals, earth, human body etc.
Insulators: An insulator is a substance in which electrical charge carriers such as electrons, are tightly bound to their respective atoms.
Example: Plastics, hard rubber, glass etc.
Semiconductor: They are third class of materials and their electrical properties are somewhere between those of insulators and conductors.
Example: Silicon $(Si)$ and Germanium $(Ge)$
