Science, Tech, Math › Science Table of Electrical Resistivity and Conductivity Print imagestock / Getty Images Science Chemistry Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on June 26, 2019 This table presents the electrical resistivity and electrical conductivity of several materials. Electrical resistivity, represented by the Greek letter ρ (rho), is a measure of how strongly a material opposes the flow of electric current. The lower the resistivity, the more readily the material permits the flow of electric charge. Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal quantity of resistivity. Conductivity is a measure of how well a material conducts an electric current. Electric conductivity may be represented by the Greek letter σ (sigma), κ (kappa), or γ (gamma). Table of Resistivity and Conductivity at 20°C Material ρ (Ω•m) at 20 °CResistivity σ (S/m) at 20 °CConductivity Silver 1.59×10−8 6.30×107 Copper 1.68×10−8 5.96×107 Annealed copper 1.72×10−8 5.80×107 Gold 2.44×10−8 4.10×107 Aluminum 2.82×10−8 3.5×107 Calcium 3.36×10−8 2.98×107 Tungsten 5.60×10−8 1.79×107 Zinc 5.90×10−8 1.69×107 Nickel 6.99×10−8 1.43×107 Lithium 9.28×10−8 1.08×107 Iron 1.0×10−7 1.00×107 Platinum 1.06×10−7 9.43×106 Tin 1.09×10−7 9.17×106 Carbon steel (1010) 1.43×10−7 Lead 2.2×10−7 4.55×106 Titanium 4.20×10−7 2.38×106 Grain oriented electrical steel 4.60×10−7 2.17×106 Manganin 4.82×10−7 2.07×106 Constantan 4.9×10−7 2.04×106 Stainless steel 6.9×10−7 1.45×106 Mercury 9.8×10−7 1.02×106 Nichrome 1.10×10−6 9.09×105 GaAs 5×10−7 to 10×10−3 5×10−8 to 103 Carbon (amorphous) 5×10−4 to 8×10−4 1.25 to 2×103 Carbon (graphite) 2.5×10−6 to 5.0×10−6 //basal plane3.0×10−3 ⊥basal plane 2 to 3×105 //basal plane3.3×102 ⊥basal plane Carbon (diamond) 1×1012 ~10−13 Germanium 4.6×10−1 2.17 Sea water 2×10−1 4.8 Drinking water 2×101 to 2×103 5×10−4 to 5×10−2 Silicon 6.40×102 1.56×10−3 Wood (damp) 1×103 to 4 10−4 to 10-3 Deionized water 1.8×105 5.5×10−6 Glass 10×1010 to 10×1014 10−11 to 10−15 Hard rubber 1×1013 10−14 Wood (oven dry) 1×1014 to 16 10−16 to 10-14 Sulfur 1×1015 10−16 Air 1.3×1016 to 3.3×1016 3×10−15 to 8×10−15 Paraffin wax 1×1017 10−18 Fused quartz 7.5×1017 1.3×10−18 PET 10×1020 10−21 Teflon 10×1022 to 10×1024 10−25 to 10−23 Factors That Affect Electrical Conductivity There are three main factors that affect the conductivity or resistivity of a material: Cross-Sectional Area: If the cross-section of a material is large, it can allow more current to pass through it. Similarly, a thin cross-section restricts current flow.Length of the Conductor: A short conductor allows current to flow at a higher rate than a long conductor. It's a bit like trying to move a lot of people through a hallway.Temperature: Increasing temperature makes particles vibrate or move more. Increasing this movement (increasing temperature) decreases conductivity because the molecules are more likely to get in the way of current flow. At extremely low temperatures, some materials are superconductors. Resources and Further Reading MatWeb Material Property Data. Ugur, Umran. "Resistivity of steel." Elert, Glenn (ed), The Physics Factbook, 2006. Ohring, Milton. "Engineering Materials Science." New York: Academic Press, 1995. Pawar, S. D., P. Murugavel, and D. M. Lal. "Effect of Relative Humidity and Sea Level Pressure on Electrical Conductivity of Air over Indian Ocean." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 114.D2 (2009). Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Table of Electrical Resistivity and Conductivity." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/table-of-electrical-resistivity-conductivity-608499. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 27). Table of Electrical Resistivity and Conductivity. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/table-of-electrical-resistivity-conductivity-608499 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Table of Electrical Resistivity and Conductivity." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/table-of-electrical-resistivity-conductivity-608499 (accessed April 18, 2024). copy citation By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies