1 Answer
Temperature has a significant effect on the resistance of insulators, but the impact is different from that on conductors.
For insulators, such as rubber, glass, or plastic, their resistance generally decreases as the temperature increases. Here's why:
In summary, as temperature rises, the resistance of insulators typically decreases slightly due to increased thermal energy, which makes it easier for electrons to move. However, insulators remain much less conductive than metals, even at high temperatures.
For insulators, such as rubber, glass, or plastic, their resistance generally decreases as the temperature increases. Here's why:
- Molecular Vibration: As the temperature rises, the molecules in an insulator vibrate more vigorously. This increases the chances of these molecules interacting with the charge carriers (usually electrons) within the material.
- Increased Conductivity: Even though insulators are not good conductors of electricity, some temperature increase can cause a small number of electrons to gain enough energy to break free from their atoms. This increases the number of free charge carriers and therefore can cause a slight decrease in resistance.
- Thermal Excitation: In some cases, at high temperatures, an insulator might even start behaving a bit like a conductor, though this is generally at very high temperatures. But in most typical conditions, the resistance remains high.
In summary, as temperature rises, the resistance of insulators typically decreases slightly due to increased thermal energy, which makes it easier for electrons to move. However, insulators remain much less conductive than metals, even at high temperatures.