Conductive materials

[LukeLex]

I just started studying. Beginning on the basics. In "Basic Electrical Theory 3rd edition" page five section "1.5 Charged Material (Static Charge)" It states, "If two conductive materials in contact with each other..." What is conductive materials here? Not copper wires, not conductors of electricity right?

 

[MAC702]

I just started studying. Beginning on the basics. In "Basic Electrical Theory 3rd edition" page five section "1.5 Charged Material (Static Charge)" It states, "If two conductive materials in contact with each other..." What is conductive materials here? Not copper wires, not conductors of electricity right?

Anything conductive, as opposed to something that is typically an insulator.

So, yes, electrical conductors will be chosen from economically drawn-to-wire substances that are excellent conductors, like copper and aluminum.

I'm also a welder. This is a good example of where we are often using steel as a conductor.

 

[MAC702]

I guess the "edit post" feature times out on this site; which is unfortunate. I misread the OP a bit and now see the focus on "static charge." Complicates the answer a bit, as well as might make some other materials "conductive" in this context.

 

[hbiss]

It states, "If two conductive materials in contact with each other..." What is conductive materials here? Not copper wires, not conductors of electricity right?

Conductive materials ARE conductors of electricity. Copper, aluminum, brass, steel, gold, silver even water and the earth. Copper wire is made if copper because it is a conductive material. Conductive materials have varying degrees of conductivity IE some are better than others. Copper, gold and silver are high on the list. Earth and water are at the bottom.

-Hal

 

[RumRunner]

Silicon can also be a conductor. Its conductivity can be adjusted (manufactured)
according to how it is doped.

It can be both conductor and insulator. . .thus a semiconductor.

 

[Carultch]

I just started studying. Beginning on the basics. In "Basic Electrical Theory 3rd edition" page five section "1.5 Charged Material (Static Charge)" It states, "If two conductive materials in contact with each other..." What is conductive materials here? Not copper wires, not conductors of electricity right?

Generally, anything you ordinarily think of as a metal, is a conductive material. Most non-metals as solids, are insulators. Water in its pure form is an insulator, but most practical sources of water have impurities dissolved in it that make it a conductor. Some examples of non-metal conductors are graphite and cured concrete when wet.

Silicon in its pure form is an electrical insulator, while being a thermal conductor. Usually electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity come together as a package deal, but silicon is an exception to this rule. Silicon with intentional impurities can make it a conductor, and is thus classified as a semiconductor. There are other materials that can also function as semiconductors, usually based on elements located along the "staircase" between metals and nonmetals on the periodic table.

 

[Ingenieur]

Isn't everything conductive? (Maybe not a vacuum?)
just to varying degrees
using resistivity (inverse of conductivity)

Cu 1.7 x 10^-8

Air ~2 x 10^14 (varies with atm conditions)

teflon 10^24 range

 

[mivey]

Isn't everything conductive?

Except for superinsulators. The conductivity can indicate if the thing falls into the conductor, semiconductor, or insulator category.

add: Semiconductors generally are in the 10^-8 to 10^3 S/cm range

 

[kwired]

Isn't everything conductive? (Maybe not a vacuum?)
just to varying degrees
using resistivity (inverse of conductivity)

Cu 1.7 x 10^-8

Air ~2 x 10^14 (varies with atm conditions)

teflon 10^24 range

I suppose you can look it sort of like you look at the Ph scale. Acids on one side bases on the other side.

Conductors on one side insulators on the other side.

Semiconductors in the center.