Conductors and Insulators

The Conductors and Insulators Video Tutorial describes the difference between a conductor and an insulator using numerous illustrations and examples. The effect that being a conductor or an insulator has upon the electrostatic behavior of objects is explained.

The video lesson answers the following questions:

1. What are conductors and insulators?
2. How does being a conductor or an insulator affect the electrostatic behavior of an object?

Video

You can watch the video below, or click here to watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab).

To improve the effectiveness of the learning experience, The Physics Classroom has provided the following tools:

Additional and Related Learning Tools

Polarization Concept Builder
Concept Builders are great learning tools for developing and refining an understanding of a topic. This Concept Builder has three activities. The second activity, titled Particle Flow is an awesome follow-up to this video.

Physics Interactives, Static Electricity Chapter, Charging Simulation
You can learn a lot by playing. And with this simulation, you can see those + and - charges as you play with charged balloons and conductors. But don't play too long ... you probably have some work to do.

Physics Classroom Tutorial, Static Elecricity Chapter
Sometimes you need a written reference to freshen up on what you're learning. And that written reference would be the Tutorial section of our website. The following page will be a helpful complement to this video:
Conductors and Insulators

Teacher Resources

Curriculum Corner, Static Electricity Section
Our Curriculum Corner is composed of a collection of Think Sheets. Each one makes for a great component of any Lesson Plan. They work great for both independent practice exercises and cooperative group exercises. The following Think Sheet makes a great complement to this video:
Insulators, Conductors, and Polarization

Polarization Concept Builder
A Concept Builder can be one of the best tools to deepen a student's conceptual understanding. And when combined with a Task Tracker subscription, you can track students' progress on the various parts of the activity. This Concept Builder has three activities. The second or middle activity provides students a great tool to put the lesson into practice.

Physics Interactives, Static Electricity Chapter, Charging Simulation
You can learn a lot by playing. And with this simulation, you can see those + and - charges as you play with charged balloons and conductors. Give your students an opportunity to manipulate variables and experiment with charge.

Physics Classroom Tutorial, Static Elecricity Chapter
It reads like a book ... but much better. Our Tutorial section has long been the most trafficked section of our website. And for good reason - it's understandable. We recommend leaving links to specific pages on your Course page. The following page will be a helpful complement to this video:
Conductors and Insulators

Teacher Toolkit: Charge, Charge Interactions, and Charging Methods
Teacher Toolkits provide teachers with a collection of resources that are ideal for planning standards-based, multimedia lessons and units. We've combed the web and selected some of the best, most professional simulations, videos, and other tools that complement the resources present at The Physics Classroom.

Lesson Notes

Download (opens in a new tab) or view below

Slides

Do you like the slides we used? They are available in our low cost Teacher Presentation Pack, along with other updated materials used in our presentation.