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Is Air A Conductor Of Electricity?

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shreya agrawal Profile
shreya agrawal answered
No air is not a conductor but an insulator
the electrons in air molecules are very tightly bound to their respective molecules in the form of covalent bonds. As a result it takes a lot of energy to rip the electrons free so that they can take part in an electric current. IN general the "break down voltage" of air [the potential difference necessary before the electrons are ripped free] is approximately 10,000 Volts per inch of dry air [humid air is a somewhat better conductor due to the presence of water molecules that are polar rather than covalently bonded]. As to what experiments you can do, the only one I can think of is to use a Van de Graph generator to generate a very large potential difference and then use it to measure the distance over which a spark of electric current will jump.
Daniel Tagliento Profile
No, because the atoms are not dense enough to provide a direct electron to electron hand off of the energy(electron flow) movement from a positive to a negative/opposite pole.
Daisy Sarma Profile
Daisy Sarma answered
A conductor is a substance that allows charged particles to move through it freely as a direct response to an electric field. There are good conductors and bad conductors. Good conductors are those that allow these charged particles to move through them easily, while bad conductors are those that do not facilitate such easy movement. In the case of air, it is normally a poor conductor of electricity. That is one reason why we can comfortably use electrical equipment in the house. Air generally acts as a bad conductor or an insulator, i.e. It insulates us from the effects of electricity.    However, there are specific situations when air could function as a conductor of electricity. These are very specific circumstances, and do not happen all the time. On the whole, at most times, air is not a conductor of electricity. Some times, the electrical appliance in question may be able to generate an electric field that is charged enough to convert the air around into becoming a conductor.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
No, air is not a good conductor for it has many impurities.  If we were to ever get PURE  air it would conduct the electricity, but no, air insulates

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