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An electrician is trying to decide which kind of material to use to wire a house.

carbon steel: conductivity = 1.43 × 10−7, resistance = 1 × 1010
copper: conductivity = 5.96 × 107, resistance = 1.68 × 10-8
gold: conductivity = 4.11 × 107, resistance = 2.44 × 10−8
iron: conductivity = 1 × 107, resistance = 1.0 × 10−7
Based on this information, which material should the electrician use?

(1 point)
Responses

iron
iron

gold
gold

carbon steel
carbon steel

copper

1 answer

The electrician should use copper.

Here are the reasons why:

  1. Conductivity: Copper has the highest conductivity (5.96 × 10^7 S/m), which means it allows electricity to flow more easily compared to the other materials listed. Higher conductivity results in lower resistance.

  2. Resistance: Copper also has a low resistance (1.68 × 10^-8 ohm·m), which makes it an excellent choice for wiring since lower resistance minimizes energy loss.

Compared to the other materials:

  • Carbon steel has significantly lower conductivity and much higher resistance.
  • Gold, while conductive, is not as conductive as copper and is also more expensive.
  • Iron has lower conductivity and higher resistance compared to copper as well.

Overall, copper is the best option for electrical wiring in a house due to its high conductivity and low resistance.