Electricity, Conductors, and Insulators (A) Force, Motion, and Energy

Conductors and Insulators

Electricity is all around us. It is helpful in many parts of our lives. It gives power to things we use every day. It lets us turn on the light. It lets us turn on the fan. It lets us watch TV. It lets us listen to the radio. Electricity plays a role in most of the things we do. But how does electricity work?

Let’s use the example of a lamp. Pretend that you’re in the living room. It’s getting dark. Your mom asks you to turn on a light. You reach over and flip the switch but nothing happens. You try again, but still nothing. What’s wrong?

You look down at the plug. You see that the lamp is not plugged in. That’s it! You plug the cord in and try again. It works!

Why was this cord so important? Electricity cannot move by itself. It cannot jump from the outlet on the wall to the lamp on the table. It needs a conductor. A conductor carries electricity from one place to another. Conductors are made up of different metals. They can be made up of copper, iron, or steel. These metals carry electricity. One of them was probably in the cord that you plugged in.

Insulator

Conductor

Diagram of Insulator Wrapped Around Conductor

1 Electricity, Conductors, and Insulators (A) Force, Motion, and Energy

Continued

Our bodies can also carry electricity. So, it would be a problem if these wires were bare. We might even get shocked! Scientists have found that there are materials that don’t carry electricity. We call these insulators. Wood and plastic are insulators. Rubber and glass are insulators. We usually put wires inside of plastic or rubber. That way we will be safe.

Still, it is important to be careful around electricity. Sometimes the outside of an electrical cord can be messed up. If you can see the wires this is not safe. If you see a cord like this, you should tell an adult. The adult can get rid of it.

You must also be careful when using electricity by water. Water and salt can also carry electricity. Our bodies have both of these. That’s why our bodies are conductors.

Electricity is amazing, but it can also be unsafe. One way to stay safe is to know about conductors and insulators.

2 Electricity, Conductors, and Insulators (A) Force, Motion, and Energy

1 Here are some dictionary definitions of the word conductor:

(1) one who manages or controls (2) one who leads a band (3) one who takes tickets on a train or bus (4) object that carries or transmits

Which definition is closest to the way that the word conductor is used in the fourth paragraph?

A Definition 1 B Definition 2 C Definition 3 D Definition 4

2 What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A Electrical appliances work because they have wires that carry

B Electricity can flow through some materials, called conductors C Insulators will not conduct electricity. D Your body is a conductor.

3 The diagram below the fourth paragraph shows:

A How a light bulb works

B The design of an appliance C The inside of an electrical cord D An unsafe cord

3 Electricity, Conductors, and Insulators (A) Force, Motion, and Energy

4 Which would be the safest place to be standing during a lightning storm?

A under an aluminum roof B in a pond C in a plastic shed D touching a copper statue

If you were on the playground and saw an electrical cord that had fallen 5 in the wind, the responsible choice would be to:

A Pour water on it B Use a stick to move it out of the way C Find an insulator D Tell an adult about it

4