Conductor vs. Insulator: What's the Difference?
Read the comparison below, or explore it visually. Create a visual lesson comparing conductor and insulator using available credits or plan allowance.
A conductor lets electric current or heat pass through it easily, while an insulator strongly resists that flow. Metals conduct because some of their electrons are free to drift between atoms and carry charge and energy; in insulators such as rubber, plastic and glass, electrons are tightly bound to their atoms, so almost no charge can move.
At a glance
| Conductor | Insulator | |
|---|---|---|
| Electron behaviour | Free electrons move easily through the material | Electrons tightly bound to their atoms |
| Electrical resistance | Very low | Very high |
| Heat flow | Usually good heat conductors, such as metals | Usually poor heat conductors |
| Common examples | Copper, silver, aluminium, graphite | Rubber, plastic, glass, dry wood |
| Typical use | Wires, cooking pans, heat sinks | Cable coatings, pan handles, oven gloves |
Which should you use?
Conductors are chosen wherever current or heat must pass easily, such as copper wires inside electrical cables or the aluminium or steel body of a pressure cooker.
Insulators are chosen wherever current or heat must be blocked, such as the PVC coating on wires, the plastic handle of a kadhai or the rubber soles of an electrician's boots.