What is the best metal conductor of electricity?

Answer 1

Despite what many people think, gold is not the bets conductor, silver is. Also, gold has a tendency of introducing noise when used in high frequency applications.
Edit: To all people who answered gold: Just because is the most inert metal, doesn't mean it's the most conductive. Sorry to say it, but you're wrong.

Copper probably has the best conductivity/price ratio, and is widely used in electronics.
Gold is used to cover contact surfaces only because it doesn't corrode.
Aluminium has a decent conductivity, and is used in high voltage power lines because of it's low density. (Low weight in common terms) The little extra loss because of lower conductivity doesn't do much in the case of power lines. Partly because the high voltage minimizes resistive loss, partly because the main loss in power distribution lines is not because of resistance, but because of capacitance towards the earth and between the wires.

Answer 2

Of the metals commonly used for conductors, copper has the highest conductivity. Silver is more conductive, but due to cost it is not practical in most cases. However, it is used in specialized equipment, such as satellites, and as a thin plating to mitigate skin effect losses at high frequencies. Because of its ease of connection by soldering or clamping, copper is still the most common choice for most light-gauge wires.

Compared to copper, aluminium has worse conductivity per unit volume, but better conductivity per unit weight. In many cases, weight is more important than volume making aluminium the 'best' conductor material for certain applications. For example, it is commonly used for large-scale power distribution conductors such as overhead power lines. In many such cases, aluminium is used over a steel core that provides much greater tensile strength than would the aluminium alone [1][2].

Gold is occasionally used for very fine wires such as those used to wire bond integrated circuits to their lead frames. The contacts in electrical connectors are also commonly gold plated or gold flashed (over nickel). Contrary to popular belief, this is not done because gold is a better conductor; it is not. Instead, it is done because gold is very resistant to the surface corrosion that is commonly suffered by copper, silver, or tin/lead alloys. This corrosion would have a very detrimental effect on connection quality over time; gold plating avoids that.

Answer 3

Silver even though most book identify gold as the best conductor

Answer 4

Gold

Answer 5

Gold followed by Silver and Copper. Copper is normally used because it is cheaper($7000 per ton). Conductivity is also dependant on temperature. As you approach absolute zero temperature( -273 C) the conductivity increases.

Answer 6

Silver is #1.
Copper is #2, and gold #3.
Aluminium is #4.

Answer 7

Gold. It is also in your computer. Thats why recycling the CPU is quite good as gold are hard to get. Selling the CPU can get a good price because of the GOLD in it. And if you wanna find a GOLD MINE, go anyway where people dump their computers together and you will get one.

Answer 8

Copper, it is cheap and is widely used.

Secondly, maybe aluminium.

Gold and Silver also got but doesn't come cheap so they are normally used in very small quantity.

Answer 9

Conductivity is dependant on temperature. you must specify at which temp. at normal temp gold is best if price not considered. otherwise silver,copper,aluminum is best on cost and availability.

Answer 10

overall it is silver. copper is more widely used as it is less expensive. aluminium is sometimes used when weight is a concern.