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Conductors

Conductors and conductivity

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  • Conductors are materials with loosely attached valence electrons - electrons can drift freely between the atoms.
  • Insulators have structures where the electrons are bound to the atoms by ionic or covalent bonds - almost no current can flow.
  • Semiconductors are insulating materials where the bonds can be broken with applied voltage - electrons can be released and moved from one vacated valence site to another.

Electrical conductivity

Electrical conductivity or specific conductivity is the measure of a material's ability to conduct an electric current. Conductivity is the reciprocal (inverse) of electrical resistivity.

Electrical conductivity is defined as the ratio of the current density to the electric field strength and can be expressed as

 σ = J / E         (1)

where

σ = electrical conductivity (1/Ohms m, 1/Ω m, Siemens/m, SI/m)

J = current density (Amps/m2)

E = electric field strength (Volts/m)

Material Electrical Conductivity
- σ -
(1/Ω m, SI/m)
Aluminum 37.7 106
Beryllium 31.3 106
Cadmium 13.8 106
Calcium 29.8 106
Chromium 7.74 106
Cobalt 17.2 106
Copper 59.6 106
Copper - annealed 58.0 106
Gallium 6.78 106
Gold 45.2 106
Iridium 19.7 106
Iron 9.93 106
Indium 11.6 106
Lithium 10.8 106
Magnesium 22.6 106
Molybdenum 18.7 106
Nickel 14.3 106
Niobium 6.93 106
Osmium 10.9 106
Palladium 9.5 106
Platinum 9.66 106
Potassium 13.9 106
Rhenium 5.42 106
Rhodium 21.1 106
Rubidium 7.79 106
Ruthenium 13.7 106
Silver 63 106
Sodium 21 106
Strontium 7.62 106
Tantalum 7.61 106
Technetium 6.7 106
Thallium 6.17 106
Thorium 6.53 106
Tin 9.17 106
Tungsten 18.9 106
Zinc 16.6 106
Water - Sea 5
Water - Drinking 0.0005 - 0.05
Water - Deionized 5.5 10-6

 

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  • Electrical - Amps and electrical wiring, AWG - wire gauge, electrical formulas, motors and units

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