What is Conductor: Definition and 811 Discussions

In physics and electrical engineering, a conductor is an object or type of material that allows the flow of charge (electrical current) in one or more directions. Materials made of metal are common electrical conductors. Electrical current is generated by the flow of negatively charged electrons, positively charged holes, and positive or negative ions in some cases.
In order for current to flow within a closed electrical circuit, it is not necessary for one charged particle to travel from the component producing the current (the current source) to those consuming it (the loads). Instead, the charged particle simply needs to nudge its neighbor a finite amount, who will nudge its neighbor, and on and on until a particle is nudged into the consumer, thus powering it. Essentially what is occurring is a long chain of momentum transfer between mobile charge carriers; the Drude model of conduction describes this process more rigorously. This momentum transfer model makes metal an ideal choice for a conductor; metals, characteristically, possess a delocalized sea of electrons which gives the electrons enough mobility to collide and thus affect a momentum transfer.
As discussed above, electrons are the primary mover in metals; however, other devices such as the cationic electrolyte(s) of a battery, or the mobile protons of the proton conductor of a fuel cell rely on positive charge carriers. Insulators are non-conducting materials with few mobile charges that support only insignificant electric currents.

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  1. S

    How Can I Improve the Magnetic Force on a Conductor in My Physics Project?

    Homework Statement I am conceptualizing for a high school physics project and what I am currently trying to do is setup two ceramic magnets with opposite poles facing each other, but with a space in between. Next I have a wire running in between that is connected to a 1.5V power supply...
  2. S

    Are the electrons moving like this in conductor with current?

    Are the electrons moving like this in conductor with current? I mean are they jumping from atom to atom (roughly said)? Why they are jumping from outer orbital to outer orbital when all outer orbitals in all of the atoms in conductor have same energy? Look the picture. Imagine that, the electron...
  3. S

    Why there must be time-varying magnet to induce current into conductor?

    Answer please. Thank you.
  4. S

    What make the electrons to move in conductor with current?

    What make the electrons to move in conductor with (direct) current? Is the magnetic field exciting the electrons or what? Please if you know explain deeply.
  5. moe darklight

    Revolutionizing Electronics: The Plastic Conductor Discovery

    plastic conductor? I just tooned into the end of a segment on "daily planet" about this guy who found out a way to create a plastic conductor. He says it conducts electricity as well as a metal wire and is very light weight (and will literally change the world of electronics). Anyone have...
  6. S

    Why doesn't direct current exhibit self-induction?

    Ok, I reformed my question, and I will be very happy if you answer me. I know that the electrons have magnetic field. So if the electrons are moving through a conductor (in direct current) than logically the magnetic field will move also. So there will be also self-induction. Can you give me...
  7. S

    Inside a Conductor: Understanding Zero Electric and Magnetic Fields

    Why is it that BOTH electric AND magnetic fields are zero inside the conductor. My book says that the H-field is zero due to the fact that the E-field is zero but doesn't give any detailed explanation.
  8. A

    Cylindrical conductor with an off center cavity

    I have a quick question. I recently did an E&M problem in which I was given a cylindrical conducting wire of radius a, in which someone bores an off-center cylindrical cavity of radius b (the center of the smaller circle is offset from the center of the wire by distance d). I'm asked to find...
  9. C

    Charge Distribution on Conductor

    Does anyone know how to find the actual charge dustribution on a conductor? More like the alignment of all the charges on a conductor? I know that the electric field should be zero everywhere on the conductor and that on pointy edges there is more charge buildup, but I have no idea how to find...
  10. K

    Electric field of a conductor

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  11. A

    Using Gauss (Divergence) theorem to find charge distribution on a conductor

    Hi, I hope this is advanced enough to warrant being in this section: I'm supposed to use the Gauss theorem (and presumably his law) to show: 1)The charge on a conductor is on the surface. 2)A closed hollow conductor shields its interior from fields due to charges outside, but doesn't...
  12. I

    Gauss's Law Charged Hollow Conductor

    if there is not a uniform distribution of charge in the middle how is it possible that there's a uniform field outside. I know why it's true according to gauss's law but it doesn't make sense to me. if there's some positive charge near the interior wall somewhere then there will be an...
  13. S

    Solving Wave in a Conductor Exercise 24-12

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  14. L

    Electric Potential Conductor Problem

    Homework Statement Two insulating spheres having radii 0.300 cm and 0.500 cm, masses 0.100 kg and 0.700 kg, and charges -2.000 micro-C and 3.00 micro-C are released from rest when their centers are separated by 1.00 m. (a) How fast will each be moving when they collide? (Hint: Consider...
  15. T

    Current Inside long cylindrical Conductor

    Hi guys, I was wondering if someone could help explain something to me. I am just starting out learning about Ampere's law. I am looking at this example in the book and I don't get it. They have a cylindrical conductor with Radius R and current I. The current is uniformly distributed over the...
  16. E

    Induced charge on a grounded conductor

    say there is an infinite grounded conducting plane and a point charge of charge q is above it. the induced charge on the plane is -q and i know how to find this using the method of images to find the potential and then finding and integrating the charge density, but my text says that it should...
  17. D

    Why do We Get a Magnetic Field Around Current Carrying Conductor?

    i have a doubt as to why we get a magnetic field around a current carrying conductor.
  18. quasar987

    Conservation of energy (wave in a conductor)

    I need to prove conservatino of energy in a conductor of real condictivity \sigma. I need opinion on how to proceed. My best guess was to use Poynting's theorem in differential form, which says that the rate at which work is done per unit time per unit volume on the charges in the metal by the...
  19. B

    Calculating Electric Field Outside a Spherical Conductor

    Hi, When we calculate electric field due to a charged spherical conductor at a point outside the conductor, by Gauss's law, it is equal to the electric field due to a point charge at the center of sphere, with net charge on the sphere. We can also calculate this electric field strength...
  20. G

    Why there is no electric field inside a conductor in electrostatics?

    I know an argument that i don´t like. It say´s: If there were electric field inside a conductor in electrostaic equilibrium, it would exert force on the charges and move them. But this argument implies that there are infinite charges inside the conductor. This is not very plausible, if...
  21. K

    Field inside a cavity inside a conductor

    In the context of properties of conductor & 1st Uniqueness theorem, Griffiths proves that field inside a cavity( empty of charge) within a conductor is 0. Is the result same if we place a +q & a -q (so that Q(enc)=0) suspended in air inside the cavity?
  22. B

    Spherical conductor capacitors

    Question asks: Two spherical conductors of radius 0.01m are placed with their centres 0.1m apart. Calculate the capacitance (C) of this system. I can't do it like a parallel plate capacitor can i? and its not a traditional spherical capacitor is it? So I'm going to have to do it the long...
  23. N

    Electrons flying off a conductor

    There is something I don't quite understand about conductors with excess charge. I understand the rationale that says that the electrons will all be on the surface, since they are repelled by the inner electrons orbitting the atoms, and by other excess electrons...but why do they not fly off of...
  24. T

    Why must the eletric field inside a conductor equal ZERO?

    I was told that at electrostatic equilibrium, the electric field inside a conductor will be ZERO, so that the charges will not move any more. but why, I argue that, even when the electric field is not zero everywhere inside the conductor, there is still a chance for the charges to be...
  25. C

    How Does Temperature Affect the Resistivity of a Copper Conductor?

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  26. G

    E.M , capacity of a conductor?

    Hello guys, well its that time of the week when I am busy working on my homework again! One of this weeks questions is that there are 2 hollow concentric conducting spheres which hold charges Q1 (inner shell, radius R1), and Q2 (outer shell, Radius R2 ) 1) Find the potential difference...
  27. N

    Why Does the Electric Field in a Conductor Go to Zero?

    The electric field in a conductor goes to zero...or so my book says (which I'm inclined to believe). But I don't really understand why. I understand the polarization of the conductor in question, but how does this negate the electric field in the conductor? The book says something about...
  28. V

    Electrostatic Force Between Conductor and Insulator

    Hi, I have the following question: An uncharged wooden stick is balance on a pivot so that it can rotate freely. If a charged rod is brought close to one end of the stick, the stick will be... Attracted by the charged rod is the answer. This has got me confused for a while. Here is my...
  29. M

    Magnetic flux outside cylindrical conductor

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  30. 2

    Left Hand Rule for a Straight Conductor

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  31. M

    Magnetic Field at Radial Distance of 1.15 cm from Cylindrical Conductor

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  32. B

    Force between Conductor Plates

    How does one prove that the force between two conductor plates is F=q^2/2eA, where e=epsilon. If I use F=qE. Where the electric field is generated by one of the conducting plates: E=q/eA, then F=q^2/eA. I think what the answer assumes is that the E-field is from a uniform plate...
  33. S

    Electric Potential in a Conductor

    #1. We have a hollow metal spherical shell with charge -q and with radius rb #2. We have a soild metal sphere supported by an insulating stand with charge +q and radius rb #3. The solid metal sphere is located in the center of the hollow metal spherical shell (aka. #2 is in #1) The question...
  34. T

    Can Plastic Conduct? Why or Why Not?

    can a plastic conduct? why or why not? help..
  35. H

    Electric Field Inside Conductor: Showing Zero is Only Value Possible

    Field inside conductor in electrostatic is zero. So they say...cuz the free-particle will move due to eny Electricfield present until they all stablized to the surface of the conductor to cancel the Electricfield present inside, thereby making the net field inside zero. After understading...
  36. K

    Charged Conductor: Understanding Force in a Cavity

    I've been studying gauss' laws etc. at uni and I was thinking about charged conductors. When a conductor is charged the charge distributes itself in such a way that the electric field inside the conductor is zero, and hence if there is a cavity inside the conductor, the net force on a charged...
  37. M

    Finding the charge on the outer surface of the conductor

    Hello everyone. I'm having troubles getting the last part of this question. An isolated conductor of arbitreary shape has a net charge of +10x10^-6C. Inside the conductor is a cavity within which is a point charge q = +3.0x10^-6C. What is the charge (a) on the cavity wall and (b) on the...
  38. E

    Electric field is zero inside a conductor?

    what is the physical explanation of the fact that the electric field is zero inside a conductor? :confused:
  39. C

    Why is the electric potential constant inside a spherical conducting shell?

    Consider a spherical conducting shell where all the charges reside on the surface. Using Gauss's Law, it can be found that the electric field inside the shell is zero. But why is the electric potential a constant? More over, why is the potential same as the potential on the surface of the shell...
  40. S

    Measuring the net speed of an electron in a conductor

    Hello, I have to start working on my physics extended essay and I got the idea of measuring the speed of an electron in a conductor. For instance, I could take a piece of wire (r) made from some conductor and I would like to find out the net speed of the electrons in the wire once I create an...
  41. S

    Magnetic Field of A Straight Conductor

    Here is a problem that I don't quite understand. P: Two hikers are reading a compass under an overhead transmission line that is 5.0 meters above the ground and carries a current of 400 Amps in a direction from south to north. a. Find the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field at...
  42. Pengwuino

    Colder water better thermal conductor?

    Is colder water a better thermal conductor then warmer water? Say for example you nee dsomething to be cooled at 70C and you run water to it in a system. Which would cool this "something" quicker, 10C water or 20C water?
  43. J

    Still a semi conductor?

    Two students performing a Hall voltage measurement using germanium as a semiconductor reversed the magnetic field while holding the bias current constant but did not get opposite signs for the Hall voltage. The magnitude of Hall voltage detected using a voltmeter was the same as it must be...
  44. B

    Electric potential inside conductor derivation

    Hey, i have this question: The electric potential inside a charged spherical conductor of radius R is given by V = keQ/R and outside the conductor is given by V = keQ/r. Using E=-dV/dr, derive the electric field inside this charge distribution. Alright, so I started to find the derivative of...
  45. L

    Electric Field inside a conductor

    How come the electric field inside a conductor is equal to 0? How do you explain with Gauss's Law?
  46. S

    Exploring the Conductor Concept for Electric Field Generation

    Consider a long conducting rod that is suspended by insulating strings. Assume that the rod is initially electrically neutral, and that it remains so. The rod is positioned along the x axis, and an external electric field that points in the positive x direction (to the right) can be applied to...
  47. P

    Why is AI3 a conductor and Aluminum Trioxide is not?

    Why is Al3 a conductor and Aluminum Trioxide is not?
  48. M

    Spherical conductor with cavities

    Hi all, I need help on the following problem: A solid spherical conductor S contains 2 small spherical cavities (not-concentric). The total charge on the conductor is zero, but at the center of each cavity there are two point charges q1 and q2 respectively. At large distance r away from the...
  49. B

    Electricity generated by conductor

    I got a question: when a conductor is charged with current electricity, does it create any kind of magneticism strong enough to affect the present magnetic field, and how do you calculate the amount of magneticism generated? thanks a lot
  50. Cyrus

    Conductor Charge/Electric Fields

    Hi, I have two questions. The first is on the charge at the surface of a conductor. Let's say we have a charge distribution at the surface of the conductor, but there is a spot on the conductor that is not at the same potential. The result will be that there is a motion of this charge...
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