The biggest question here is how and what makes something conduct electricity, whether it is wood or concrete. The primary element that describes this complex question is the transporter facility that acts between any material or substance. So, the answer is that the electrons and ions present in various substances play their role as transporters. Different meanings have different shapes that tell us about their movement of electrons.
Does Concrete Conduct Electricity?
Yes, concrete conducts electricity through its ions. However, concrete is a poor conductor, and its low conductance can prevent electric shock. In addition, water content, temperature, concrete construction shape, and size affect concrete conductivity.
What Factors Make Concrete Conductive?
- Concrete water content increases electric conductivity, and a wet environment increases concrete conductivity.
- Dry concrete (sand, cement, natural aggregate without water) is a bad conductor of electricity and can be used as an insulator.
- Thick concrete construction will conduct better than a thin object.
- Short concrete construction will conduct better than a long construction shape.
- The higher temperature of construction concrete objects can increase the conductivity.
Concrete does conduct electricity, but it is called an inferior conductor. However, there are states of concrete that define its conductivity of electricity. The first is when concrete is in a viscous mixture; it’s the most dangerous state because electricity can travel faster by losing ions (water content).
Second, dry concrete when it becomes hardened material; electricity can not move because concrete is hard enough for it to travel. Finally, it can also be classified as an insulator since it is highly resistant to passing electricity.
For example, people commonly say that if you are standing outside during a thunderstorm, you must stick to a concrete wall rather than stay in a grassy area. The reason behind this is that concrete conducts electricity more efficiently than grass.
Some concrete properties act well when coming in contact with water since it gains strength. Cement is crushed and then added with water and ground, milled like limestone, and then becomes ready to use. Various components are present in the cement, those are:
- Silica (SiO2)
- Gypsum (CaSO4.2H20)
- Iron
- Alumina, Al2O3
Some of these materials are being blended in two ways. One is dry, and the other can be the wet mixing process. The mixture with these components is then heated at 2,600º F. After this process; the whole material is cooled to average temperature until it gets the fine-grained cement shape.
From 2022 onwards, Mark has also been contributing author of home repair articles at nimblefreelancer.com.
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Contact Mark: mark@nimblefreelancer.com