What is the term for a material that does not easily allow heat or electrical flow?

The term for a material that does not easily allow heat or electrical flow is "insulator." Insulators are critical in various applications to prevent the unintended transfer of heat or electricity. This characteristic makes them essential in the design of electrical circuits, where they help to prevent short circuits and protect people from electric shock.

Materials that fall under this category, such as rubber, glass, and certain plastics, have tightly bound electrons that do not move freely. This property allows insulators to effectively resist the flow of electrical current, maintaining safety and efficiency in electrical systems. Additionally, in thermal applications, insulators help maintain temperature by limiting heat transfer, which is vital in construction, refrigeration, and thermal management of electronic devices.

In contrast, conductors are materials that allow the easy flow of heat or electricity, and resistors are components that specifically limit electrical current flow. A filament, often found in light bulbs, is a type of conductor designed to resist current to produce light but does not function as an insulator.