Why does current flow in iron but not in wood (both have electrons)?
|
|
Iron (Conductor) |
Wood (Insulator) |
|---|---|---|
|
Electron type |
Free electrons (loosely held, roam freely) |
Bound electrons (tightly held to atoms) |
|
Under voltage |
Electrons drift → current flows |
Electrons can't move → no current |
Iron has free conduction electrons that drift under applied voltage. Wood's electrons are all tightly bound they cannot move even under a potential difference, so no current flows.