ceramic wrap

Thermal or electrical insulator? Foil is good at one, and bad at the other.

Insulation for both heat transfer and electrical conductivity is based at least in part upon electron mobility. Metals are generally good conductors because the electrons are readily pulled from the nuclei, forming what is often referred to as an "electron cloud". Non-metals are generally poor conductors, although molten or aqueous solutions of metal salts are good conductors due to ionic bonding, and the consequent electron freedom.

There are a few exceptions to the heat-electrical conduction similarity, such as oxides of beryllium and (to a lesser extent) aluminum. Both are good electrical insulators and also are decent heat conductors.

Plastics, cellulose and the like are poor conductors due to covalent bonding (transfer of electrons) rather than ionic bonding (sharing of electrons).

Bernie Katz

um, aluminum is a good electrical conductor... Of common metals it's third only to copper and gold. I don't understand.

1. ) Silver

2.) Copper

3.) Gold

4.) Aluminium

Why is the thread entitled ceramic wrap?

CAUTION This sounds very much like a homework problem. Now I'm all about helping students learn to use the internet as an effective resource and helping them find solutions while doing so. However, this is not a thread to show off your knowledge! These sound like Jr. High text book questions.

To original poster (OP) you need to know that many places on the internet have the wrong answers to the right questions... so keep your brain screwed on straight.

So what is your project?

Also, research insulator on wikipedia and go to the Library and look up insulator and conductor in the Encyclopedia. Once you have a better understanding of insulator then you will be able to answer these on your own. If the question is really that open ended, the answer can be too. Since there are thermal insulators, electrical insulators, sound insulators, ect. You could divide those into separate columns with the materials in rows and provide your best answer to each of them.

If you want we could go into the depths of the mechanics involved in Heat Transfer (thermal insulation type questions) an electro-physics (electrical insulation type questions) as well as other types of things that we can insulate from. That might be a waste of your time if it all goes over your head. (No to be rude, just that fourth year college curriculum might be a little hard to grasp for an eighth grader for example.) Please let us know where you are at in your education and we will try to give you all sorts of stuff to impress the teacher with. At least I will. (Extra credit??) Caution that might make you look like a brown-noser or a nerd.