Electrical conductor facts for kids
A conductor is a material which electricity, heat or sound can flow through. An electrical conductor conducts electricity. The ability to conduct electricity is called electrical conductivity.
Most metals, like iron and copper, are electrical conductors. These metals are used to make wires to carry electric current. Plasma is an excellent conductor of electricity and is used for many purposes but metals are more used.
Impure water can also conduct electricity. Living tissues, as in the human body, are wet and therefore conductors of electricity.
Some materials are semiconductors. This means that electricity can flow through them, but not very well.
Some materials are resistors. This means that they make it very hard for electricity to flow through them.
A material that stops electric current is called an insulator (electricity). Wires are covered with insulators like plastic to stop the electricity from leaving the wire.
Some materials when really cold, are superconductors. They offer no resistance at all to the flow of electricity.
A conductor's resistance tend to get higher when the temperature also gets high.
Images for kids
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Overhead conductors carry electric power from generating stations to customers.
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A piece of resistive material with electrical contacts on both ends.
See also
In Spanish: Conductor eléctrico para niños
