Electrical conductors and insulators | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

These objects are made of different materials. Which object has a label for the incorrect material?

plastic

wood

glass ✓

metal
Which of these are properties of materials?

wood

flexible ✓

strong ✓

metal

waterproof ✓
What type of switch is this?

toggle

slide

push button ✓
A ______ is a device which has to be connected to a circuit in a particular direction, with its positive connector connected closest to the positive end of the cell.

'buzzer' ✓
Which of these are used to control circuits?

buzzers

switches ✓

bulbs

wires
How do switches break the loop in a circuit?

By creating a barrier which reflects electricity.

By creating a barrier which absorbs electricity.

By creating a space where electricity cannot flow. ✓

Exit quiz

An electrical ______ is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily.

'conductor' ✓
An electrical ______ is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through it easily.

'insulator' ✓
If you include an electrical insulator in a circuit with a motor, what would the motor do?

turn

turn the wrong way

not turn ✓

cause an electric shock
Which of these objects are made of the best material for conducting electricity?

rubber bands

wooden blocks

fabric cloth

a metal spoon ✓
Are the minerals in water electrical conductors or electrical insulators?

electrical conductors ✓

electrical insulators
Which of these materials are electrical insulators?

metal

rubber ✓

water

plastic ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

An electrical conductor is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily.
An electrical insulator is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through it easily.
Metals are the best materials for conducting electricity.
There are minerals that can conduct electricity when dissolved in water.
Examples of electrical insulators are plastic, rubber, wood, glass and air.

Common misconception

Only metals are electrical conductors. All non-metals are electrical insulators. Water is an electrical conductor.

Children will test materials for conductivity, but the teaching slides will note that some non-metals are electrical conductors and that it is the dissolved minerals in water that can conduct electricity, not the water itself.

Keywords

Material - A material is what objects are made from such as wood, metal or plastic.
Electrical conductor - An electrical conductor is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily.
Minerals - A mineral is a naturally occurring solid, e.g. a salt.
Electrical insulator - An electrical insulator is a material that does not allow electricity to pass through it easily.