Electrical Technology
Electrical technology – assignment 4
Properties of electrical materials and Effective use of technology
P.5. Describe the properties and a typical application of a solid and a liquid or gas electrical conductor.
A conductor is a material that allows free movement of electrons and therefore allows easy flow of electricity. Most conductors are metals. A common metal used as a conductor in electrical technology is aluminium. It is used quite a lot as it cheap, lightweight and in abundance compared with other electrical conductors.
Aluminium is used in overhead power cables as it is has many properties which make it ideal for this purpose. It is very easy to work Aluminium can be easily fabricated into various forms such as foil, sheets, shapes, rods, tubes, and wires. It also displays excellent malleability and plasticity in bending, cutting, and drawing. Aluminium does not rust as when it is open to the air a layer of aluminium oxide forms and protects it from corrosion. Earlier on transmission lines were made from copper but this was heavier and recently became more expensive. Conductive Aluminium has relatively low mechanical strength therefore it is either used with steel, or by using an aluminium alloy to help with the mechanical strength that is needed in overhead power lines. Aluminium is a very light metal with a specific weight of 2.7 g/cm3, about a third that of steel.
Aluminium’s Electrical Resistivity at 20°C is at 2.69 µΩ.cm. Aluminiums conductivity is around 60% that of copper (coppers being 59.6 × 106 S/m).
Argon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic gas. It is a good example of a gas that can conduct electricity. It is an inert gas this means that it is none reactive. It is used within bulbs and fluorescent lamps as a substitute for air. If the bulb/lamp is filled with air the filament would oxidise this would cause the bulb to be dimmer this would also be dangerous as the oxygen in air could Cause the filament to burn, so
Properties of electrical materials and Effective use of technology
P.5. Describe the properties and a typical application of a solid and a liquid or gas electrical conductor.
A conductor is a material that allows free movement of electrons and therefore allows easy flow of electricity. Most conductors are metals. A common metal used as a conductor in electrical technology is aluminium. It is used quite a lot as it cheap, lightweight and in abundance compared with other electrical conductors.
Aluminium is used in overhead power cables as it is has many properties which make it ideal for this purpose. It is very easy to work Aluminium can be easily fabricated into various forms such as foil, sheets, shapes, rods, tubes, and wires. It also displays excellent malleability and plasticity in bending, cutting, and drawing. Aluminium does not rust as when it is open to the air a layer of aluminium oxide forms and protects it from corrosion. Earlier on transmission lines were made from copper but this was heavier and recently became more expensive. Conductive Aluminium has relatively low mechanical strength therefore it is either used with steel, or by using an aluminium alloy to help with the mechanical strength that is needed in overhead power lines. Aluminium is a very light metal with a specific weight of 2.7 g/cm3, about a third that of steel.
Aluminium’s Electrical Resistivity at 20°C is at 2.69 µΩ.cm. Aluminiums conductivity is around 60% that of copper (coppers being 59.6 × 106 S/m).
Argon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-toxic gas. It is a good example of a gas that can conduct electricity. It is an inert gas this means that it is none reactive. It is used within bulbs and fluorescent lamps as a substitute for air. If the bulb/lamp is filled with air the filament would oxidise this would cause the bulb to be dimmer this would also be dangerous as the oxygen in air could Cause the filament to burn, so