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Electrical resistivity facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Electrical resistivity is a concept in electrical engineering. It is a measure of how much an electrical conductor stops the flow of electricity through it. Most metals have a very low electrical resistivity. The SI uses the ohm metre for measuring how much electrical resistivity there is. Electrical resistivity is also inverse of electrical conductivity. This term is more meaningful in case of semiconductors and insulators.

Images for kids

  • Resistivity geometry

    A piece of resistive material with electrical contacts on both ends.

  • Superconductivity 1911

    Original data from the 1911 experiment by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes showing the resistance of a mercury wire as a function of temperature. The abrupt drop in resistance is the superconducting transition.

  • Lightning over Oradea Romania 3

    Lightning is an example of plasma present at Earth's surface. Typically, lightning discharges 30,000 amperes at up to 100 million volts, and emits light, radio waves, and X-rays. Plasma temperatures in lightning might approach 30,000 kelvin (29,727 °C) (53,540 °F), or five times hotter than the temperature at the sun surface, and electron densities may exceed 1024 m−3.

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