by 
kevinj
ANSWERS: 1
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That's not quite technically true. For the most part, yes, you need "Continuity" to carry a current. Current is carried in metals by delocalised electrons (but that's more chemistry). Graphite also have delocalised electrons, hence conducts. Salt water is an electrolyte, with free moving ions, and may conduct. However, in air, plastics, wood, etc. There are little or not delocalised electrons or free charges present to carry the current. However, in some situations, such as in a "Spark gap", a large resistance such as an air gap can be breached by a large voltage: It doesn't *want* to conduct, but is sort of *forced* conduction. A reverse biased diode, which doesn't noticeably conduct, conducts a tiny, tiny trickle current. This comes down to the idea that there is no such thing as an infinite resistance, as there is also no such thing an an infinite conductivity.
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