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• September 23, 2021

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• PHY102 Physics II © Dr.Cem Özdoğan

• 21-3 Conductors and Insulators

• Nonconductors - also called insulators - are materials through which charge cannot move freely; examples include wood, rubber, plastic, glass, and chemically pure water.
• There are few (if any) free electrons in a nonconductor.

• Materials classified based on their ability to move charge (Conductance)

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• –

• In an Insulator, each electron cloud is tightly bound to the protons in a nucleus.
• But the electron cloud can “Distort” locally.

• Under Applied Potential Difference V

• & no current

• but polarization & dipole moment

• Semiconductors are materials that are intermediate between conductors and insulators; examples include silicon and germanium in computer chips.

• Superconductors are materials that are perfect conductors, allowing charge to move without any hindrance (no resistance!).

• FYI

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