Table of Contents
Conductor
Have you ever seen electric wires around you? They carry electricity from one place to another. But have you ever wondered how electricity flows through them so easily? The reason is electrical conductors.
A conductor is a material that allows electricity to pass through it easily because it has lots of free electrons. These free electrons move freely inside the material and carry electric current.
Most metals like silver, copper, gold, and aluminum are excellent conductors. That’s why they are commonly used in making wires and other electrical parts.
Most of the elements found in the middle part of the periodic table, called d-block elements, are really good at carrying electricity. This is because they have free electrons that can move easily. These moving electrons help electricity flow from one place to another.
Not just metals—some liquids can also carry electricity well. For example, when salt is mixed in water, it creates a solution that lets electricity pass through it easily.
But gases are not good at carrying electricity. That’s because the particles in gases are too far apart, so the electrons can’t jump from one atom to another easily. There are many types of electrical conductors.
Qualities of a Good Conductor
Not all conductors are equally good. A good conductor must have some special qualities that make it safe, useful, and long-lasting in different electrical works. Let’s understand them one by one:
Easily Available and Affordable
A good conductor should not be rare or expensive. It should be something we can find easily and afford to use in daily electrical work.
Ductile (Can Be Stretched into Wires)
It should be flexible enough to make thin wires. These wires are used in things like motors, fans, and transformers.
Strong and Tough
The conductor should be strong so that it doesn’t break when stretched or pulled, especially in overhead power lines.
Malleable (Can Be Made into Sheets and Strips)
Sometimes, we need metal in different shapes—like sheets or strips. A good conductor should be soft enough to shape without breaking.
Easy to Join (Soldering Friendly)
It should be easy to connect pieces of the conductor together by soldering—a method used to join wires in circuits.
Low Resistance and High Conductivity
A perfect conductor should not resist the flow of electricity much. It should allow current to pass with minimum energy loss. This saves electricity and keeps devices running smoothly.
Resistant to Weather and Environment
A good conductor should not get damaged easily by things like rain, heat, moisture, or sunlight. It should stay safe and last long in any condition.
How Does a Conductor Carry Current?
Electric current is the flow of tiny particles called electrons. These electrons live inside atoms and can move when we give them energy. A material that allows these electrons to move easily is called a conductor. Metals like copper and aluminum are very good conductors.
Now let’s understand how the current flows in a conductor:
What Makes Electrons Move?
Imagine a water pipe. Water only flows when there’s pressure. In the same way, electricity flows when there is a push, and this push is called voltage (or potential difference). When we connect a conductor to a battery or power source, the voltage creates an electric field inside the conductor.
This electric field pushes the free electrons, and they start moving from one end to the other.
Direction of Current vs. Direction of Electrons
Electrons move from the negative end to the positive end of the battery. But we say that current flows from the positive to the negative end. That’s just a rule we follow — even though it’s the electrons doing the moving.
What Happens Inside the Conductor?
As electrons move, they bump into atoms inside the wire. These bumps slow them down and create resistance. Resistance is the opposition to the flow of electrons. It’s a bit like friction that slows things down. This is also why wires can get warm when a lot of current flows — those bumps create heat.
What Affects the Current Flow?
Several things decide how easily current can flow through a conductor:
- Voltage: More voltage means a stronger push.
- Length: A longer wire has more resistance.
- Thickness: A thicker wire allows more room for electrons to move.
- Material: Some materials let electrons move easily; others don’t.
- Temperature: Higher temperatures usually increase resistance.
- Purity: Clean materials conduct better than ones with impurities.
types of Conductors
Conductors are materials that allow electricity to pass through them. Just like roads help cars move from one place to another, conductors help electric current move easily. Depending on how they look and behave, conductors are divided into three main types. there are mainly three types of electrical conductors.
1. Solid Conductors
These are the most common type of conductors. They have a fixed shape and do not flow. You can touch them, hold them, and even cut them into different sizes. Solid conductors are strong and stable.
Some examples include:
- Copper – used in electric wires.
- Silver – the best conductor of electricity.
- Gold – shiny and also a good conductor.
- Iron – used in many electrical machines.
These materials are solid and carry electric current easily.
2. Liquid Conductors
These conductors do not have a fixed shape. They can flow like water. Some liquids can carry electricity because they have tiny charged particles inside them. These particles help the current move through the liquid.
Examples of liquid conductors:
- Salt water – water with salt in it can carry electricity.
- Silver nitrate solution – a chemical in liquid form that also conducts electricity.
But not all liquids are conductors. Some, like pure distilled water, do not carry electricity unless something is added to them.
3. Gaseous Conductors
Normally, gases do not conduct electricity. But if we mix some special salts or pass a strong electric charge through them, gases can also start conducting electricity. This is called ionization – where gas particles turn into ions that carry electric current.
Examples of gases that can act as conductors:
- Helium
- Argon
- Neon
These gases are used in glowing signs and special lights. They don’t conduct electricity in their normal state, but they start to glow and carry current when given the right push.
4.Superconductors
Superconductors are special materials that can carry electricity without wasting any energy. That means, once electricity starts flowing through them, it can keep going forever without stopping or slowing down — like a magic road with no bumps or red lights.
But there’s one big thing: superconductors only work this way when they are very, very cold — colder than ice, even colder than the coldest place on Earth!
This makes them different from normal wires, which always lose some energy as heat. Superconductors don’t lose anything. That’s why they are used in special machines like MRI scanners in hospitals, or in powerful trains that float above tracks using magnets.
They are not something we use every day at home, but they are super helpful in big science and technology projects.
In short, a superconductor is a perfect electricity carrier — but only in super cold places.
In Simple Words:
- Solids like copper and iron conduct electricity very well.
- Liquids like salty water can also conduct electricity.
- Gases like helium need a little help, but they too can conduct electricity under special conditions.
Each type of conductor plays an important role in how electricity is used around us—from wires and batteries to lights and machines.
Characteristics of Conducting Materials
| Sl. No. | Property | Copper (Cu) | Aluminum (Al) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Color | Reddish-brown | Silvery-white |
| 2. | Resistance at 20°C (Ohm/meter) | 0.01786 | 0.0278 |
| 3. | Temperature Coefficient of Resistance at 20°C | 0.00393 | 0.00403 |
| 4. | Coefficient of Linear Expansion at 20°C (per °C) | 17 × 10⁻⁶ | 23 × 10⁻⁶ |
| 5. | Electrical Conductivity (mho/meter) | 56 | 36 |
| 6. | Melting Point (°C) | 1083°C | 660°C |
| 7. | Density (kg/cm³) | 8.93 | 2.7 |
| 8. | Tensile Strength (N/mm²) | 220 | 70 |
Main Conducting Materials
In our daily lives, electricity flows through many things — wires, cables, machines — and all of this is possible only because of materials called conductors. Conductors are those special materials that allow electricity to pass through them easily. Let’s look at some of the most commonly used conducting materials in electrical work. there are many types of electrical conductors material.
1. Silver
Silver is a shiny white metal. It is soft, can be bent or stretched easily, and it allows electricity to flow through it very well. In fact, silver is one of the best conductors of electricity. But there’s a problem — silver is expensive. That’s why we don’t use it for everyday wires. Instead, we use it for small but very important parts like the tips of switches, relays, and electrical contacts where perfect conductivity is needed. It is the most important types of electrical conductors.
2. Copper
Copper is a red-brown metal. It is also soft and flexible, just like silver, but much cheaper. Copper is the most commonly used metal in electrical work because it conducts electricity well, doesn’t rust easily, and can handle different weather conditions. That’s why it’s used in wires, cables, earthing systems, bus bars, and many electrical parts we see around us. It is the most important types of electrical conductors
3. Aluminium
Aluminium is a silver-white metal. It’s very lightweight, doesn’t rust, and is easy to shape. Its ability to carry electricity is not as good as copper, but it is much cheaper and easily available, especially in countries like India. So, aluminium is used instead of copper in many places, like power lines and some cables. However, because it’s not as strong as copper, it’s used carefully and in specific places only.
4. Gold
Yes, gold! Gold is not just for jewelry — it also conducts electricity very well. It doesn’t rust, and it’s very reliable. In fact, gold is one of the best conductors, even better than silver. But just like silver, gold is also very expensive, so we don’t use it in regular electrical work. It’s mostly used in very tiny and special parts, like in computers or high-end electronic devices where perfect conductivity is a must.
Tungsten
Tungsten: It is a dark grey metal with high melting point, ductile and hard. It is used to make filaments of electric bulbs and fluorescent tubes. High temperature (3400°C) is required to melt it.
Zinc
It is a blue-grey coloured soft and rust-resistant metal. It is used to apply a rust-resistant coating on iron wires, sheets and pipes, i.e. to galvanize them. Apart from this, it is also used to make the shells of dry cells.
Brass
It is a yellow coloured ductile, malleable, rust resistant and strong metal made from copper and zinc. Its conductivity is only 48% as compared to silver. It is used in making connectors, screws and shells etc. of electrical equipment. Many types of brass are made depending on the difference in the percentage of ingredients in the mixture. It is the most important types of electrical conductors
Nickel
It is a white coloured rust-resistant metal. It is used to make plates of nickel iron storage cells (iron-acid cells) and to apply a rust-resistant layer on other metallic objects.
Iron
It is a strong, cheap, easily available, ductile and malleable metal. Although its specific resistance is about 8 times that of copper, but due to its other properties such as high mechanical strength, it is used in making telephone wires, earth wires and bodies and laminations of electrical equipment etc.
Tin
It is a white, very soft and rust-resistant metal. It is used as an alloy with lead to make fuse wires, solder, etc. Apart from this, it is also used to apply a rust-proof and environmentally friendly coating on wires made of other metals, as it does not rust, but due to its low melting point, it melts quickly. it is a types of electrical conductors
German Silver
German silver is not real silver. It’s actually a mix of three metals: 60% copper, 15% nickel, and 25% zinc.
This mix makes it strong and shiny. It’s tougher than brass and doesn’t get easily damaged by changes in weather. That’s why it is often used in place of brass, especially in making high-quality musical instruments and tools. It looks beautiful and lasts long too.
Lead
Lead is a soft, heavy metal with a dull grey color. It melts at a higher temperature than tin. What makes it special is that it does not rust easily and can stop moisture from getting through.
Because of this, it is used to protect underground electric cables, keeping them safe from water and damage. Lead is also used in batteries (we call them lead storage cells).
When mixed with tin, it helps make fuse wires and solder – these are materials used to join metal pieces together or break an electric circuit when needed.
Manganin
Manganin is a clever alloy made by mixing 84% copper, 12% manganese, and 4% nickel.
Its special quality is that it doesn’t change much when the temperature goes up or down. This makes it perfect for making resistors, which control the flow of electricity in many electronic devices.
Eureka (Constantan)
Eureka is made of 40% nickel and 60% copper. It is strong, flexible, and has high resistance. This means it doesn’t allow electricity to pass through easily. That’s why it’s used in devices like regulators, resistors, and many measuring tools.
It helps control the current without getting hot, which is very important in delicate instruments.
Platinum
Platinum is a shiny, strong and precious metal. It’s even rarer than gold. Because it doesn’t rust and can handle high temperatures, it is used in electrical contact points – places where two wires or parts of a circuit meet.
It ensures a good connection and lasts for a very long time. it is a types of electrical conductors
Mercury – The Liquid Metal
Mercury is a very special metal. Why? Because unlike other metals that stay solid, mercury stays in liquid form at room temperature. Just imagine a metal that flows like water! That’s what makes it so unique.
We use mercury in things that measure temperature, like thermometers. When mercury gets hot or cold, it moves up or down, helping us see the temperature. Mercury is also used in mercury vapor lamps, where it turns into a gas (called vapor) and helps the light glow brightly.
So, even though it looks simple, mercury does some very smart work!
Nichrome – The Metal That Heats Up
Nichrome is not just one metal – it’s a mix of two metals, called an alloy. It is made of 80% nickel and 20% chromium. When these two are combined, they create something much stronger and more useful.
Nichrome is very special because it has high resistance to electricity. That means, when electricity passes through it, it gets hot – but it doesn’t break! It is also ductile (can be stretched into wires), strong, and has a high melting point (it doesn’t melt easily).
That’s why nichrome is used in heating tools like electric irons, kettles, and toasters. It is the hidden hero behind that warm toast or hot cup of tea.
Comparison of Conducting Materials
there are many types of electrical conductors material for Comparison.
| Sl. No. | Conductor | Resistivity (Ω·m) | Melting Point (°C) | Temp. Coefficient (per °C at 20°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silver | 1.59 × 10⁻⁸ | 960 | 0.0038 |
| 2 | Copper | 1.68 × 10⁻⁸ | 1086 | 0.00428 |
| 3 | Gold | 2.44 × 10⁻⁸ | 1063 | 0.0034 |
| 4 | Aluminum | 2.82 × 10⁻⁸ | 657 | 0.004013 |
| 5 | Tungsten | 5.60 × 10⁻⁸ | 3422 | 0.0051 |
| 6 | Zinc | 5.90 × 10⁻⁸ | 420 | 0.0037 |
| 7 | Nickel | 6.99 × 10⁻⁸ | 1453 | 0.00537 |
| 8 | Iron | 1.00 × 10⁻⁷ | 1538 | 0.0069 |
| 9 | Platinum | 1.06 × 10⁻⁷ | 1773 | 0.00367 |
| 10 | Tin | 1.09 × 10⁻⁷ | 232 | 0.0051 |
| 11 | Lead | 2.20 × 10⁻⁷ | 327 | +0.00001 to –0.004 |
| 12 | German Silver | 3.316 × 10⁻⁷ | 960 | 0.0027 |
| 13 | Manganin | 4.82 × 10⁻⁷ | 960 | 0.00025 |
| 14 | Eureka | 5.00 × 10⁻⁷ | 1270 | +0.00001 to –0.004 |
| 15 | Mercury | 9.80 × 10⁻⁷ | 356 | 0.0039 |
| 16 | Nichrome | 1.10 × 10⁻⁶ | 1400 | 0.0014 |
Properties of Electrical Conductors
An electrical conductor is something that allows electricity to flow through it easily. It’s like a special path for tiny particles called electrons to move.
When we connect a conductor (like a wire) to a battery, something amazing happens. The battery has two sides — one side has more energy (positive), and the other has less (negative). Because of this difference, the electrons in the conductor start to move. They go from the negative side to the positive side.
This movement is called electric current.
Now let’s look at what makes a conductor special:
Free Electrons
Conductors have tiny particles called free electrons. These electrons can move around easily. That’s why electricity can travel through conductors so well.
Easy Flow of Current
The electrons in a conductor move smoothly with very little resistance. It’s like a straight, open road for electricity!
No Electric Field Inside
Inside a conductor, the electric field is zero when things are balanced. That means there’s no push or pull inside — everything is calm and steady.
Same Potential Everywhere Inside
All parts of a conductor have the same electric potential. There’s no difference in energy from one part to another inside it.
Current Flows Only When Applied
A conductor doesn’t do anything until we apply current. Once we connect it to a battery or power source, the surface of the conductor lets electricity flow through.
Electricity flows through them easily
Conductors are like smooth roads for electric current. Electrons (tiny particles) can move through them without much difficulty.
They have low resistance
This means they don’t stop electricity from flowing. Instead, they help it move faster and better.
They have many free electrons
Inside conductors, there are lots of free electrons. These free electrons move around and carry electricity from one place to another.
No energy gap inside
In a conductor, the parts where electrons live and where they move are very close together. So, electrons can jump and flow easily.
They are made of metallic bonds
Conductors are usually metals. Their atoms are arranged in a special way—like a team of players standing in rows, with electrons moving freely around them.
No electric field inside
Inside a conductor, there’s no push or pull from electricity. Everything stays balanced when electricity flows.
Free charges stay on the surface
The electric charges don’t go inside. They stay only on the outside surface of the conductor.
Electric field is at right angles on the surface
The electric push around a conductor comes straight out from its surface, not sideways.
Applications of Electrical Conductors
Electrical conductors are materials that allow electricity and heat to pass through them easily. They are very useful in our everyday life. Here are some simple examples of where we use them. there are many types of electrical conductors Application.
Mercury is used inside thermometers to check body temperature. It moves up and down to show how hot or cold the body is.
Aluminum is used to make kitchen foil. This foil helps in packing and storing food. It is also used to make cooking pans because it heats up quickly.
Iron is a strong metal. It is used to make car parts and other machines. It helps carry heat from one part to another.
Steel plates (which are made mostly from iron) heat up fast and are used in cooking or heating tools.
In cars, radiators use conductors to remove extra heat from the engine and keep it cool.
Conductors are all around us, making our lives easier by helping with heat and electricity.
Affecting Factors: the Conductivity of Electrical Conductors
The conductivity of an electrical conductor is influenced by several key factors:
Type and Number of Free Charge Carriers
Materials with more free electrons (in metals) or free ions (in electrolytes) conduct electricity better.
More free charge carriers mean higher conductivity and lower resistivity.
Size and Shape of the Conductor
A longer and thinner conductor offers more resistance to the flow of current.
As length increases or cross-sectional area decreases, conductivity decreases and resistivity increases.
Temperature of the Conductor
In most metals, increasing temperature causes atoms to vibrate more, leading to more collisions with free electrons.
This reduces conductivity and increases resistivity due to lower electron mobility.
Presence of Impurities or Defects
Impurities or structural defects disrupt the flow of charge carriers.
These act as scattering centers, reducing the mean free path of electrons, and thus lowering conductivity.
Frequency of the Applied Electric Field
At high frequencies, alternating electric fields change too rapidly for electrons to keep up.
This leads to effects like skin effect, reducing effective conductive area, which lowers conductivity and increases impedance.
FAQ
What is an electrical conductor?
A: An electrical conductor is something that allows electricity to flow through it easily. It acts like a path or road for electric current.Why do we need different types of conductors?
A: We use different types of conductors because each one is good for different things. Some are strong, some are cheap, and some are better for carrying electricity over long distances.What are the main types of electrical conductors?
A: The most common types are:
Copper
Aluminum
Silver
Gold
Iron
Each one has its own special features.Why is copper used the most?
A: Copper is very good at carrying electricity. It is also strong, flexible, and not too expensive. That’s why it is used in wires at home and in machines.Is aluminum also a good conductor?
A: Yes, aluminum is also good. It is lighter and cheaper than copper, so it is often used in power lines and electric towers.Can gold or silver be used as conductors?
A: Yes, both are excellent conductors. But they are very expensive, so we don’t use them in regular wires. Sometimes they are used in small devices like mobile phones or computers.