TRIVIA - Best conductor material?

Status
Not open for further replies.

rkrieger

Member
I lost a bet on this one..................

According to most legitimate sources, what is the best natural occuring material for conducting electricity?? Try to answer without researching !!!:smile:

If this is the wrong forum, please move it where it belongs?

Merry Christmas!!

RLK
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
way back when I was in knob -tube school we were told "silver", but there weren't that many know elements then:D
 

rkrieger

Member
And the survey says.................

And the survey says.................

Before I give the correct answer, I'll wait to see if others may hazard a guess.

RLK
 

charlie

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis
Gold comes to mind but, I think the reason is that gold is used for the lowest resistance, non-corrosive contacts since it doesn't oxidize or react with anything except aqua-regia. I believe that silver has the lowest resistivity. If I am correct, do I get anything? :smile:
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
My first guess is gold.

Do I get a pair of solid gold T-strippers if I'm right?
praying.gif
 

rkrieger

Member
You guys are smarter than me...........

You guys are smarter than me...........

I originally said "gold" cuz' I know crash sensors in vehicles use gold contacts. I thought it was to prevent "voltage drop" with 12 volt circuits, but found out it's because as many of you have already stated, it for corrosion prevention.

Conductivity Chart from best to least is:

1- Silver, 2- Copper, 3- Gold, 4-Aluminum, 5- Tungsten, 6- Zinc, 7- Brass (copper & zinc), 8- Platinum, 9- Iron, 10-Nickel, 11- Tin, 12- Steel and 13- Lead (according to the source I researched)

Thanks..................Guess I had nothing better to do with my Saturday night:smile:
 

jeremysterling

Senior Member
Location
Austin, TX
As a bonus, silver oxide ("rusted" silver) remains an excellent conductor. Quite the opposite is true for aluminum, aluminum oxide being responsible for many high resistance terminations.
 

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
As a bonus, silver oxide ("rusted" silver) remains an excellent conductor. Quite the opposite is true for aluminum, aluminum oxide being responsible for many high resistance terminations.

Same for copper, copper oxide is a horrible conductor, thats why we silver plate all of our CB contacts, so the oxide layer that forms wont be high resistance.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
I know they used almost all the nation's surplus silver supply from the US Treasury winding the coils for the Y-12 plant in Tennessee during the 1940's to make those Calutrons.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top