Week 8: Conductors/Non-Conductors of Electricity

A class tested different materials to see if they were conductors or non-conductors. Look at their table of results below. Can you see a pattern in which materials are conductors?

• All the plastic objects are conductors

• All the metal objects are conductors

Which of the following materials do you think it would be safe to wrap the outside of a switch in?

• Gold

• Copper

• Silver

• Plastic

A material that does NOT allow electricity to flow through it easily is called a ...

• conductor

• non-conductor

• barrier

Looking at the diagram below, how do we know that the metal nail is a conductor?

• It changes colours when electricity flows through it

• It allows electricity to flow through it so the bulb lights up

• It does not allow electricity to flow through it so the bulb does not light up

I have used a plastic spoon in this circuit. Is the plastic spoon a conductor of electricity?

• Yes

• No

Metals tend to be good conductors while plastics are very poor conductors. Look at the diagram of the wire shown and fill in the missing label with a material.

• Plastic

• Spoon

• Wood

A material that allows electricity to flow through it easily is called an electrical ...

• Conductor

• Gate

• Insulator

Ahmad is conducting experiments in groups testing whether different materials conduct or insulate electricity. Which of the groups' circuits is properly set up for the experiment?

• 
• 
• 
• 

Which of the following would be the best material to use for electric wires?

• Copper

• Glass

• Plastic

True or false? Materials that allow electricity to flow through them are called conductors of electricity.

• True

• False