Electrical Conductivity of Copper, Gold And Silver

[write2diba]

Copper ::: 60.7 x 106 S m^-1
Silver :::62.9 x 106 S m^-1
Gold :: 48.8 x 106 S m^-1

Why is the electrical Conductivity of these elements this way? I mean down the periodic table it should increase in case of GOLD but instead Gold is have far less value of Electrical Conductivity.

 

[Jilang]

What factor should cause it to increase going down the periodic table then?

 

[Drakkith]

There's really no easy way to explain the differences, as they are based on the particular electron configuration of each atom and how they bond together in a metal.
One way of calculating the conductivity is based on the density of free electrons in the metal. Check out the following link (specifically the 3rd section): http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/ohmmic.html