Electronics Basics: Resistance In the electronics world,
resistance is not futile. In fact, resistance can be very
useful. Without resistance, electronics would not be possible.
Electronics is all about manipulating the flow of current, and
one of the most basic ways to manipulate current is to reduce it
through resistance. Without resistance, current would flow
unregulated and there would be no way to coax it into doing
useful work. A conductor is a material that allows current to
flow, and an insulator is a material that doesn't. Good
conductors allow current to flow with abandon, without
impediments. Examples of good conductors include the metals
copper and aluminum. Carbon is also an excellent conductor. Good
insulators, on the other hand, erect solid walls that completely
block current. Examples of good insulators include glass,
Teflon, and plastic. The key factor that determines whether a
material is a conductor or an insulator is how readily its atoms
give up electrons to move charge along. Most atoms