A material that allows heat and electricity to pass through it is called what?

A material that allows heat and electricity to pass through it is called what?

• A. Conductor
• B. Insulator
• C. Amp
• D. Volt

Answer: (A)

Heat and electricity move through materials that are able to transfer energy easily, which is what a conductor does. A conductor has high thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, so heat and electrons can flow through it with little resistance. An insulator, by contrast, resists that transfer and slows both heat and electrical flow. Amp and volt are not materials at all—they’re units (current and electrical potential, respectively)—so they don’t describe a material’s ability to conduct. So the material described is a conductor.

Heat and electricity move through materials that are able to transfer energy easily, which is what a conductor does. A conductor has high thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, so heat and electrons can flow through it with little resistance. An insulator, by contrast, resists that transfer and slows both heat and electrical flow. Amp and volt are not materials at all—they’re units (current and electrical potential, respectively)—so they don’t describe a material’s ability to conduct. So the material described is a conductor.