Answer to Question #170649 in Physics for Dorina

Question

Choose suitable examples of materials and their uses in order to provide an illustrated explanation of the properties of the following: insulators, semiconductors, and conductors.

Answer 1

Insulators are used to isolate (insulate) something from electrical current, for instance, your body from a wire under voltage. Rubber or PVC, therefore, are good insulators.

Semiconductors made of silicon are used to conduct electricity or insulate it depending on the situation. For example, a diode is a common semiconductor device that lets an electric current flow in one direction (diode serves an conductor) and it prevents it from flowing in the opposite direction (diode serves as insulator).

Conductors are used to conduct electricity. Common examples are copper and aluminum. Conductors have small electrical resistance and let the current flow easily in any direction along the wire.