Final answer:
High-voltage wires suspended from towers are not wrapped in insulating material; they are insulated by the air. Wood is an insulator, but moisture within trees can conduct electricity, allowing lightning to travel through trees to the ground.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question seeks to understand aspects of electrical transmission and the behavior of lightning with respect to insulators. Addressing each part:
- True or false - The high-voltage wires that you see connected to tall metal-frame towers are held aloft by insulating connectors, and these wires are wrapped in an insulating material. False. High-voltage wires are indeed held aloft by insulating connectors to prevent grounding, but they are not wrapped in an insulating material. Instead, they are bare and insulated by the air surrounding them, which acts as the insulating medium.
- True or false - Although wood is an insulator, lightning can travel through a tree to reach Earth. True. Wood, while an insulator, contains moisture and sap which can conduct electricity. As a result, lightning can indeed travel through a tree to reach the ground, often causing significant damage to the tree in the process.