Which statement describes insulators most accurately?

Prepare for the Automotive Service Technician Period 1 exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which statement describes insulators most accurately?

Insulators resist the flow of electric current because they have high resistivity; their electrons are not free to move and can’t easily support current. The statement that best describes insulators is that they are compounds made from two or more elements. That's because many common insulating materials—plastics, rubbers, ceramics, glasses—are chemical compounds built from multiple elements. The bonding and structure in these compounds hinder electron movement, giving them the high resistance that defines an insulator. Metals, by contrast, conduct electricity well due to free electrons moving through metallic bonds, so they are not insulators. Pure gases can act as insulators under many conditions, but they’re not the typical insulating materials used in devices; many insulators are solids, and those solids are commonly compounds rather than single-element substances.

Insulators resist the flow of electric current because they have high resistivity; their electrons are not free to move and can’t easily support current.

The statement that best describes insulators is that they are compounds made from two or more elements. That's because many common insulating materials—plastics, rubbers, ceramics, glasses—are chemical compounds built from multiple elements. The bonding and structure in these compounds hinder electron movement, giving them the high resistance that defines an insulator.

Metals, by contrast, conduct electricity well due to free electrons moving through metallic bonds, so they are not insulators. Pure gases can act as insulators under many conditions, but they’re not the typical insulating materials used in devices; many insulators are solids, and those solids are commonly compounds rather than single-element substances.

More practice questions