Are density and resistivity proportional?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the relationship between density, resistivity, and conductivity of metals. Participants explore whether resistivity and conductivity are proportional to each other and how density factors into this relationship, touching on definitions and material properties.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that conductivity is the inverse of resistivity, suggesting they are inversely proportional, and argue that this relationship does not involve density.
  • One participant mentions a specific source, claiming that their textbook states conductance depends on the density of the metal, defending their interpretation of the text.
  • Another participant raises the possibility of a mistranslation in the textbook, questioning the clarity of the original text.
  • It is noted that conductivity is a material property that depends on carrier concentration, which is related to atomic concentration, while density also depends on atomic mass, complicating the relationship between these properties.
  • A participant provides an example illustrating that metals with the same density can have significantly different conductivities, suggesting that the relationship between density and conductivity is not straightforward.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the relationship between density, resistivity, and conductivity. Multiple competing views are presented, with some participants emphasizing the inverse relationship between conductivity and resistivity, while others highlight the potential influence of density.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reveals limitations in understanding the relationship due to potential misinterpretations of definitions and the complexity of material properties. The interplay between atomic concentration and atomic mass in determining conductivity and density is noted but remains unresolved.

Rushikesh Sarda
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Today while reading a book i read that conductance of a metal depends on its density. But it is also dependent on its resistivity. Does that mean that resistivity and conductivity are proportional to each other?
 
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And Also mention the relation between them
 
Conductivity is the inverse of resistivity. So they are inverse proportional. But this has nothing to do with density. It's just the definition.

I am afraid you may be quoting the book incorrectly, too. Where did you read this?
 
+1 to what Nasu said.

Silver is a better conductor than gold but gold is denser.
 
nasu said:
Conductivity is the inverse of resistivity. So they are inverse proportional. But this has nothing to do with density. It's just the definition.

I am afraid you may be quoting the book incorrectly, too. Where did you read this?

I read it in My Indian book of my 12th Class. It Says that conductance Depends On the "Density of the Metal." I'm not quoting that incorrectly . It is The same Thing Written In the Book.
 
It may be a miss-translation too. Is the original in English?
The conductance is a property of a given resistor whereas conductivity is a material property. Like we have resistance (for a given resistor) and resistivity (for a material).

The conductivity (material property) depends on the carrier concentration which indeed depends on the atom concentration. Density too depends on the atom concentration but also on the atomic mass. So the relationship is convoluted. And not very meaningful, as was shown by the example given above by CWatters. You can (in principle) have metals with the same density but with very different conductivities.
 
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