A conductor is a term used in Physics and Electrical Engineering. It refers to an object or material that allows electric current to flow through it from a source into a destination. The key to understanding conductors is in the movement of electrons.
All atoms have electrons and they have varying abilities to move freely. This movement of electrons is called electric conductivity. This conductivity is determined by the atom types in the material and how the atoms are linked together. A material that allows high mobility for electrons are called conductors. The materials that has a low electron mobility are called insulators.
For instance, metals are some of the best conductors because of free electrons. Free electrons are the outermost electrons in atoms that are unbound. This allows electrons to move among the spaces between the other atoms even with just the heat energy of room temperature.
The natural motion of free electrons has no particular direction but it still causes a buildup of electric charge. This is called static electricity. For an electrical conductor to be functional, the free electrons have to be influenced to move in a coordinated way. This happens when voltage is applied to make the electrons move uniformly and there is a conductive material that will control their flow. The electron moves along the conductor by pushing the electron ahead of it forward. When electrons move in a uniformed manner, that makes it a dynamic electricity or electric current.
There is a reason why the movement of an electric current is often referred to as a “flow.” When electrons move through the conductor, it is always likened to water flowing through a pipe. It goes from the source to the destination but there has to be a consistent connection. If there is a break, the electric current will not reach the destination. The path of the electron has to be a continuous connection of conductive material.
Effective metal conductors include silver, copper and aluminum. Other conductors include electrolytes, semiconductors, superconductors, and plasmas. There are non metallic conductors that are also effective like conductive polymers and graphite.
It has to be noted that not all conductors have the same levels of conductivity. Being a conductor will depend entirely on the specific atoms in a material. There has to be space within that material for electrons to move.
