what metal is the best conductor for electricity and why ?

Question

Please settle this disagreemant between my son and I.
Thanks

Answer 1

At standard everyday temperatures, probably silver (although there are non-metals, like graphite, that are better).
http://hypertextbook.com/physics/electricity/resistance/

However at very cold temperatures, a variety of pure metals and alloys become superconductors. Niobium-titanium is one example.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conventional_superconductors

.

Answer 2

It's kind of hard to do at home, as all metals are pretty good conductors. You could get some different types of wire from a craft shop - steel, copper, aluminium - and try to measure the resistance and size. If you use the whole reel (and can avoid shorting turns) you may have enough to show on a meter. Then you'd need to measure the diameter and length, to work out the bulk resistance if the different types are not all the same diameter (or gauge). Otherwise as I recall you need 2 meters and 4 probes. You pass current through one meter and set of probes and measure voltage on the others. That way, the probe resistance is not included in the resistance of the material under test. But you can have contact potential generated between dissimilar metals at the junction. Tricky.

Answer 3

Gold is the best conductor. The reason is fairly complex and what follows is a simplfication to allow of understanding for those without a physico-chemical background.

Gold is the most 'noble' metal resulting from a very stable electronic structure.

In any solid metal there is a tendency for electrons in the outermost atomic orbitals to 'float' between atoms, like a sort of electronic atmosphere. This atmosphere can be blown along by the potential electric difference (volts) between one point and another and is what creates an electric current.

The loss of orbital electrons from less stable metals creates a reaction that increases the probability that the released electron will be pulled back into the atom rather than joining the floating atmosphere, this is reflected in increased resistance to electrical flow. In gold, because of its electronic stability, this tendency is at its minimum, therefore gold is the least resistant metal to electric current and thus the most conductive.

Answer 4

Silver is the best conductor of electricity. That is why many electronic components contain traces of gold because of its efficiency.

The reason why is because in conductors (such as silver, gold, copper, iron etc) the outermost electrons within the atoms are so loosely bound that they are free to move around in the space between other atoms of that material.

Insulating material (such as glass, plastic etc) contain atoms whose electrons do not have the same freedom of movement.

The more conductive the material, the more freedom the electrons have to move around.

Answer 5

Silver is the best conductor of electricity. Why? To be honest I don't know. It'll be to do with electron orbital distances and stuff that chemists should know but don't. Their excuse is that electricity is physics.
Physicists like to counter this by telling them that ALL chemistry is physics.
With so much to know, how is a physicist supposed to know it all?

Suffice for you to know that silver is the best metallic conductor.
Gold or Copper is second. I think it's gold second.

I bet you can guess why we make wires from copper and not silver or gold........

Gold is soft and is used to make switches that don't spark

Answer 6

The resistivity of the following metals are as shown (in ohms/meter):

1. Silver - 1.59 x 10^-8
2. Copper - 1.68 x 10^-8
3. Gold - 2.44 x 10^-8
4. Aluminum - 2.65 x 10^-8

These values all depend on purity, heat treatment, temperature, and other factors. Copper is commonly used since it is less expensive than most metals. Sometimes aluminum is preferred since it is less dense than copper, so the resistance for the same weight as copper is less than that of copper.

Answer 7

Silver is the best electric conductor..this is because silver , among th metals, have the closest molecules..its molecules are near to each other causing to a better and easier conduction..it is also because silver has a lot of free electrons..

Answer 8

I think that Silver is the best conductor, but Copper is commonly used then Aluminium as it is less weight.
Gold is used as a coating to prevent corrosion but Silver is a better conductor than Gold.

Answer 9

silver is the best conductor, followed closely by copper. It is just a property of the metal, i believe that the large number of outer electrons assists with the conductivity

Answer 10

Nope - all of the above is wrong.

Its not gold, silver or copper.

There are a range of metals that are in fact superconductors. Follow the link to Type 1.

I like the idea of Uranium, myself