The materials used in electronics can be divided into three basic types.
Conductors Insulators Semiconductors
To understand why the properties of these differ you need, at least, to know the smallest possible amount about...
Moving charges
and Quantum Mechanics
Conductors
Most of the conductors used in electronics are metals like copper, aluminium and steel. Conductors are materials that obey Ohm's law and have very low resistance. They can therefore carry electric currents from place to place without dissipating a lot of power. As a result, metals are useful as connecting wires to carry electrical signals from place to place. They help ensure that most of the signal's power reaches it's destination instead of warming up the wires in between!
In fact, although it sounds odd, modern resistors are also made of conductor materials. However, they use very thin pieces of conductor which don't pass current too easily.
Insulators
Glass, most polymers (plastics), rubber and wood are a