Conductivity Conductivity

Conductivity - Definition and Overview

Electrical conductivity is a measure of how well a material accommodates the transport of electric charge. Its SI derived unit is the siemens per metre, (A2s3m-3kg-1) (named after Werner von Siemens). It is the ratio of the current density to the electric field strength. This applies also to the electrolytic conductivity of a fluid. Conductance is an electrical phenomenon where a material contains movable particles with electric charge, which can carry electricity. When a difference of electrical potential is placed across a conductor, its movable charges flow, and an electric current appears.

A conductor such as a metal has high conductivity, and an insulator like glass or a vacuum has low conductivity. A semiconductor has a conductivity that varies widely under different conditions, such as exposure of the material to electric fields or certain frequencies of light.

Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity (1/[Ω·m]).

SI electricity units

SI electromagnetism units

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Name Symbol Dimensions Quantity
ampere (SI base unit) A A Current
coulomb C A·s Electric charge, Quantity of electricity
volt V J/C = kg·m2·s−3·A−1 Potential difference
ohm Ω V/A = kg·m2·s−3·A−2 Resistance, Impedance, Reactance
ohm metre Ω·m kg·m3·s−3·A−2 Resistivity
farad F C/V = kg−1·m−2·A2·s4 Capacitance
farad per metre F/m kg−1·m−3·A2·s4 Permittivity
reciprocal farad F−1 kg1·m2·A−2·s−4 Elastance
siemens S Ω−1 = kg−1·m−2·s3·A2 Conductance, Admittance, Susceptance
siemens per metre S/m kg−1·m−3·s3·A2 Conductivity
weber Wb V·s = kg·m2·s−2·A−1 Magnetic flux
tesla T Wb/m2 = kg·s−2·A−1 Magnetic flux density
ampere per metre A/m m−1·A magnetic induction
ampere-turns per weber A/Wb kg−1·m−2·s2·A2 Reluctance
henry H V·s/A = kg·m2·s−2·A−2 Inductance
henry per metre H/m kg·m·s−2·A−2 Permeability
(dimensionless) - - Magnetic susceptibility

See also

External links

For the use of conductivity measurements to record pH spectra which shows the interaction between different molecules as a function of the degree of dissociation of their functional groups, see the following external links:


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