Conductors and Insulators

Some materials -- metals are an example -- allow electric charges to move through them easily; these are called conductors.

Some materials -- wood and glass are examples -- do not allow electric charges to move through them; these are insulators.

Ions in a liquid allow electric charges to move.

Electric Charge

Coulomb's Law

Return to Ch 17, Electrostatics & Electric Energy
(c) Doug Davis, 2002; all rights reserved