Question

Which of the following are conductors and which are insulators?
Sulphur, Silver, Copper, Cotton, Aluminium, Air, Nichrome, Graphite, paper, Porcelain, mercury, Mica, bakelite, Polythene, Manganin.

Answer 1

Hint : Both the conductors and the insulators are the types of the materials. The major and the most important difference is that – Conductors allow energy (current or heat) to pass through it whereas the insulators do not allow energy to pass through it.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Conductors: The materials which allow the electric current or any energy to pass through it. Also, its magnetic field stores energy. Electrons move freely and the thermal conductivity is very high whereas the resistivity is very low with a weak covalent bond. It has the positive temperature coefficient and the valence band remains empty.
Insulators: The materials which do not allow the electric current or any energy to pass through it. Its magnetic field does not store any energy. Electrons do not move freely and the thermal conductivity is very low whereas the resistivity is very high with the strong covalent bond. It has a negative temperature coefficient and the valence band is occupied with full of electrons.
Required answer:
Conductors: Silver, Copper, Aluminium, Nichrome, Graphite, Mercury, Manganin
Insulators: Sulphur, Cotton, Air, Paper, Porcelain, Mica, Bakelite, Polythene.

Note :
Remember the difference between the applications of the conductors and the insulators. Conductors are used for making the electrical wires, cooking utensils and many more whereas the insulators are used in the electrical cables to cover the wires for supporting the electrical equipment. Insulators are used to protect from the unwanted hazardous incident.