What term describes a material that acts as a very poor conductor of electricity?

What term describes a material that acts as a very poor conductor of electricity?

• A. Insulator
• B. Conductor
• C. Semiconductor
• D. Resistor

Answer: (A)

A material that acts as a very poor conductor of electricity is an insulator. Insulators have high electrical resistance and very few free charge carriers at room temperature, so electrons can’t move easily and current remains tiny. This contrasts with conductors, which have many free electrons and low resistance, allowing electricity to flow readily. Semiconductors conduct more than insulators but less than metals, and their conductivity can be altered by temperature or doping. A resistor, meanwhile, is a component designed to provide a specific amount of resistance in a circuit, not a property of a material.

A material that acts as a very poor conductor of electricity is an insulator. Insulators have high electrical resistance and very few free charge carriers at room temperature, so electrons can’t move easily and current remains tiny. This contrasts with conductors, which have many free electrons and low resistance, allowing electricity to flow readily. Semiconductors conduct more than insulators but less than metals, and their conductivity can be altered by temperature or doping. A resistor, meanwhile, is a component designed to provide a specific amount of resistance in a circuit, not a property of a material.