Electronics Online

In electronics and engineering we often heard something called conductor… what is a conductor..? A conductor is a material which contains movable electric charges. In metallic conductors, such as copper or aluminium, the movable charged particles are electrons (See electrical conduction). Positive charges may also be mobile in the form of atoms in a lattice missing electrons (called “holes”) or ions, such as in the electrolyte of a battery.

All conductors contain electric charges which will move when an electric potential difference (measured in volts) is applied across separate points on the material. This flow of charge (measured in amperes) is what is meant by electric current. In most materials, the rate of current is proportional to the voltage (Ohm’s law,) provided the temperature remains constant and the material remains in the same shape and state. The ratio between the voltage and the current is called the resistance (measured in ohms) of the object between the points where the voltage was applied. The resistance across a standard mass (and shape) of a material at a given temperature is called the resistivity of the material. The inverse of resistance and resistivity is conductance and conductivity. Some good examples of conductors are metal.

In this reading we are going to talk about capacitance. I have to make a distinction here between capacitor and capacitance. A capacitor is a device, whereas capacitance is an electrical property. First we will discuss the capacitor and then the property of capacitance.
We will avoid mathematics where possible.
Construction

As you can see a capacitor is a two terminal device. There is always an insulator between the plates of a capacitor. This should suggest to you that current never flows through a capacitor.

While you are working on electric circuits, there is often the possibility of receiving an electric shock by touching the “live” conductors when the power is on. The shock is a sudden involuntary contraction of the muscles, with a feeling of pain, caused by current through the body. If severe enough, the shock can be fatal. Safety first, therefore, should always be the rule.

The greatest shock hazard is from high voltage circuits that can supply appreciable amounts of power. The resistance of the human body is also an important factor. If you hold a conducting wire in each hand, the resistance of the body across the conductors is about 10,000 to 50,000 ohms. Holding the conductors tighter lowers the resistance. If you hold only one conductor, your resistance is much higher. It follows that the higher the body resistance, the smaller the current that can flow through you.

A safety rule, therefore, is to work with only one hand if the power is on. Also, keep yourself insulated from earth ground when working on power-line circuits, since one side of the line is usually connected to earth. In addition, the metal chassis of radio and television receivers is often connected to the power line ground. The final and best safety rule is to work on the circuits with the power disconnected if at all possible, and make resistance tests.