Electrical resistance and electrical power

Electrical conductor The term electrical current refers to the directional movement of charged particles. For a current to flow in a material, there must be sufficient free electrons present. Materials that meet this criterion are called electrical conductors. Copper, aluminium and silver are particularly good electrical conductors. Copper is the main conductive material used in control technology.

Electrical resistance All materials, including good electrical conductors, offer resistance to the electrical current. This is caused by the freely moving electrons colliding with the atoms in the conductive material, which results in their movement being impeded. Electrical conductors have a low resistance. Materials with a particularly high resistance to the electrical current are called electrical insulators. Rubber and plastic-based materials are used to insulate electrical cables.