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| 184_notes:charge_and_matter [2021/01/25 00:05] – bartonmo | 184_notes:charge_and_matter [2021/01/25 00:06] (current) – bartonmo |
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| === Conductors === | === Conductors === |
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| //**A conductor is an object or material where charged particles can move easily through the material.**// In some conductors (like salt water), there are charged ions ($\text{Na}^+$ and $\text{Cl}^-$) that can travel relatively freely through the material (water). In other conductors, like metals, the inner electrons of every atom are tightly bound to the nucleus, but the outer electrons (or [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence_electron|valence electrons]]) of the atom are much easier to remove. When you have lot of metal atoms together, generally one electron from each atom can leave the atom and join a "sea" of electrons that are free to move through the metal. These electrons are not completely free - it is very difficult to remove these electrons from the metal - but they are relatively free to move within the piece of metal. This is how we model the metal as a conductor - a mobile electron sea. Common conductors include: salt water, copper, iron, aluminum, gold, etc. | **A conductor is an object or material where charged particles can move easily through the material.** In some conductors (like salt water), there are charged ions ($\text{Na}^+$ and $\text{Cl}^-$) that can travel relatively freely through the material (water). In other conductors, like metals, the inner electrons of every atom are tightly bound to the nucleus, but the outer electrons (or [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valence_electron|valence electrons]]) of the atom are much easier to remove. When you have lot of metal atoms together, generally one electron from each atom can leave the atom and join a "sea" of electrons that are free to move through the metal. These electrons are not completely free - it is very difficult to remove these electrons from the metal - but they are relatively free to move within the piece of metal. This is how we model the metal as a conductor - a mobile electron sea. Common conductors include: salt water, copper, iron, aluminum, gold, etc. |
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| [{{ 184_notes:conductorneg.png?150|Charge distribution in a conductor from a negative charge}}] | [{{ 184_notes:conductorneg.png?150|Charge distribution in a conductor from a negative charge}}] |