Good Conductors

of Heat and
Electricity
Electricity is one of the
important things in our lives.
Our appliances and gadgets
at home requires electricity to
function.
Have you ever wondered how does
electricity reach your homes? Have
you ever asked yourself why you
don’t get electrically shocked when
you touch an electric cord?
Have you also wondered why a
material becomes hot whenever it
gets near to fire or even just putting
it to a hot object? How is heat
transferred from one object to
another?
Conductors are materials that allow
electrons to flow through them easily.
The greater the number of electrons,
the better conductor a material is.
Metals fit in this category.
All metals are conductors,
although some are better
conductors than others. Silver,
copper, gold, aluminum, zinc,
brass, tin, nickel and lead are
examples of metals.
Cooking pots and pans made of metals
make cooking faster because they
quickly allow heat transfer from the flame
to the food being cooked. Iron, gold,
silver, brass, steel, copper, nickel and
water are also conductors of heat and
electricity.
Not only metals are good conductors of
electricity. Many liquids that contain ions
are good conductors. The acid in a
battery is one example, including the
ionized gases such as gases inside a
fluorescent light or a neon light.
Water also conducts
electricity too! This is also
the reason why it is
dangerous to hold an
electrical writing especially
if our body is wet.
Most good electrical
conductors are also
good conductors of heat.
Conductors and
insulators are both
important in the field of
electronics.
Conductors allow electric current to
flow easily to be delivered to people’s
homes, powering up the appliances and
gadgets. Insulators block or prevent the
flow of electricity to pass through and
keep us safe from electricity.
Metals are good conductors of
heat, therefore cooking
utensils, kettles, irons, boilers,
are always made up of
aluminum and iron.
Insulators are the handles of
saucepans, teapots, kettles, etc, are
always made from substances like
wood, plastic, etc, to prevent heat
from entering the hand so that it can
be held comfortably.
Directions: Classify each
material as conductor or
insulator. Identify what
conductors are usually made
of. Check the column that
corresponds to your answer.
Why is it important to
identify conductor
and insulator materials
in your household?
It is also important to know
the difference between
conductors and
insulators to prevent injury
when dealing with
electricity.
Directions: Based on
the classifying
activity, answer the
following questions:
1. What kind of materials will conduct
electricity? Give 5 examples.
2. What kind of materials do not allow
electricity or electrons to flow through
them? Give 5 examples.
3. Conclusion: What are conductors
and insulators, and what are they
usually made of? (5pts)
Directions: Write TRUE
if the statement is
true and FALSE if the
statement is false.
1. Materials are not only conductors
or insulators of heat but also can be
insulator and conductor of electricity.
2. Metal is generally the best
insulator.
3. Copper wires have to be insulated
or covered with plastic tubing so we
don’t get an electrical shock.
4. Silver is an example of
an electrical conductor.
5. Most conductors of
heat are also conductors
of electricity
Why wires are important in powering
appliances?
These electric wires allow
electric current to flow through
the appliance when plugged
on.
Directions:
Enumerate at least
five (5) properties of
good conductors.
Directions: Analyze the
situation below and answer
the given question. Write your
answer on another sheet of
paper.
Suppose you are going to watch a
movie on a television, but the wire is
unplugged and your hand is wet,
what are you going to do so that the
electricity will not pass through your
hand/body? What precautionary
safety measures will you observe in
handling the electrical appliances?