Electricity flows through conductors because of the presence of free electrons. Free electrons are electrons that are not bound to any one atom. They are free to move around in the conductor. When a potential difference is applied to a conductor, the free electrons are attracted to the positive end of the conductor and repelled by the negative end. This creates an electric current, which is the flow of electrons through the conductor.
The amount of current that flows through a conductor depends on the number of free electrons in the conductor, the strength of the potential difference, and the resistance of the conductor. The resistance of a conductor is a measure of how difficult it is for electrons to flow through the conductor.
The best conductors have a lot of free electrons and low resistance. Some common conductors include metals such as copper, silver, and gold. Insulators have few free electrons and high resistance. Some common insulators include plastics, rubber, and glass.
Here are some of the factors that affect the flow of electricity through a conductor:
- The type of material: The type of material determines how many free electrons are available to carry the current. Metals are the best conductors because they have a lot of free electrons. Insulators have very few free electrons, so they do not conduct electricity well.
- The temperature: The temperature of the conductor also affects the flow of electricity. As the temperature increases, the electrons move faster and the current increases.
- The length of the conductor: The longer the conductor, the more resistance it has, so the current will be lower.
- The cross-sectional area of the conductor: The cross-sectional area of the conductor is the area of the surface that the electrons flow through. The larger the cross-sectional area, the lower the resistance and the higher the current.