CONDUCTIVITY OF METALS

CONDUCTIVITY OF METALS 

INTRODUCTION: 

The  most  important  properties  of  metals  are  their  high  thermal  and  electrical  conductivities. 

Silver has the highest electrical conductivity. Copper comes next and is similar to silver from the 

point  of  view  of  atomic  structure  ;  both  belonging  to  the  same  group  of  periodic  table.  The 

conductivity of copper is less than that of silver. Since supplies of copper are not abundant  in 

nature, aluminium which is light and has a high conductivity is rapidly becoming more important 

as a conductor material. Gold which has a conductivity higher than that of aluminium but lower 

than  that  of  silver  or  copper  does  not  find  use  in  electrical  industry  because  it  is  expensive. 

Metals having complex structures such as As, Sb, Bi, Sn, Hg have lower conductivities which lie 

between  those  of  ideal  metal  (very  high  conductivity)  and  of  insulators  (negligible 

conductivities).