Science

What is conductivity? »Its definition and meaning

Anonim

This is the property of what is conductive (that is, it has the power to conduct). It is a physical property that provides those objects capable of transmitting electricity or heat.

Conductivity in this sense is related to the concept of material properties, that is, the various characteristics that a particular material can exhibit when exposed to various phenomena. Any type of conductivity is important in determining how efficient different elements will have when used for a specific purpose. The most relevant are those related to the ability of an element to conduct electricity or conduct heat, a circumstance that is explained by its obvious application in various human activities.

It is the ability of a particular material to be a medium for the transfer of electricity. Metals are usually the elements that have a higher degree of conductivity, highlighting gold and copper. Electricity could also circulate through water, depending on the concentration of dissolved salts in it. The antagonistic concept applied to the field of electricity is the concept of resistance, which refers precisely to the opposition that the same movement has in a given environment. All the devices that we routinely use must work largely with electrical conductivity.

Some elements that in certain contexts function as electrical conductors, in others they can function as resistors. This is the case of semiconductors, which have a wide application in the field of electronics.

Liquid elements have salts that are decisive in conductivity. They are at the moment of solution, generating positive and negative ions that are responsible for transferring energy when that liquid is influenced by an electric field. Conductors in this sense are popularly known as electrolytes.

While in solid materials when they are subjected to an electric field are their electron bands that overlap and release energy when they meet the aforementioned field.