Bodies differ from each other in a striking manner in the freedom with which the electric current moves upon them. If the electric current be imparted to a certain portion of the surface of glass or wax, it will be confined strictly to that portion of the surface which originally receives it, by contact with the source of electricity; but if it be in like manner imparted to a portion of the surface of a metallic body, it will instantaneously diffuse itself uniformly over the entire extent of such metallic surface, exactly as water would spread itself uniformly over a level surface on which it is poured.[3] Bodies in which the electric current moves freely are called _conductors_, and those in which it does not move freely are called _insulators_. There is, however, no substance so good a conductor as to be devoid of resistance, and no substance of such high resistance as to be a _non-conductor_. _Mention should be made here of the misuse of the word non-conductor; the so-called “non-conductors” are properly termed insulators._ The bodies named in the following series possess conducting power in different degrees in the order in which they stand, the most efficient conductor being first, and the most efficient insulator being last in the list. =TABLE OF CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS= { Silver { Copper { Aluminum { Zinc { Brass (according to composition) { Platinum { Iron Good conductors[4] { Nickel (metals and alloys) { Tin { Lead { German silver (copper 2 parts, zinc 1, nickel 1) { Platinoid (German silver 49 parts, tungsten 1 part) { Antimony { Mercury { Bismuth. { Charcoal and coke { Carbon { Plumbago { Acid solutions Fair conductors { Sea water { Saline solutions { Metallic ores { Living vegetable substances { Moist earth. { Water { The body { Flame { Linen { Cotton Partial conductors { Mahogany } { Pine } Dry woods { Rosewood } { Lignum Vitæ } { Teak { Marble.