Insulators are just the opposite of conductors. They are substances or materials that do not conduct electricity. Insulators inhibit the easy passage of electrons from atom to atom and thus do not allow electric current to pass through them.
The elements present in the left of the periodic table are non-metals and are mainly insulators. Substances which are largely made up of such elements are insulators. The insulating materials or elements have the valence electrons tightly bound. These electrons cannot be freed or loosened. They are poor conductors of electricity.
A few examples of insulators are erasers, paper, glass, and cotton. Insulating material made of glass or any other good insulator may be used in between electric wiring as a protective barrier and to prevent shock. What about dry air? Dry air is also a poor conductor of electricity. Rubber and glass are one of the strongest insulators.
Apart from conductors and insulators, there are also semiconductors like silicon and geranium. They occur in a zigzag pattern on the periodic table and are known as metalloids. They separate metals and non-metals in the periodic table.
Question For You
Q. Why is copper used in electrical wiring?
Ans: Copper is the metal that is primarily used for electrical wiring because each copper atom has only one valence electron which can be easily freed. Thus, it can easily be harnessed in electricity as it is an excellent conductor.