The element with the highest electrical conductivity is silver (Ag).
⚡ Key Facts:
- Element: Silver
- Symbol: Ag
- Electrical Conductivity: ~63 × 10⁶ S/m (Siemens per meter)
- Why so conductive?
- It has a single free electron per atom (from its outer shell) that moves easily.
- It has very low electrical resistance due to minimal electron scattering.
🔬 Comparison with other metals:
| Element | Electrical Conductivity (S/m) |
|---|---|
| Silver (Ag) | ~63 × 10⁶ |
| Copper (Cu) | ~59 × 10⁶ |
| Gold (Au) | ~45 × 10⁶ |
| Aluminum (Al) | ~37 × 10⁶ |
🧠 Why don’t we use silver in most wires?
- Cost: Silver is much more expensive than copper.
- Tarnishing: Silver oxidizes, which can reduce performance over time.
So, while silver is the best natural conductor of electricity, copper is more commonly used in practice due to cost-effectiveness and stability.