Electric Conductivity Converter

Siemens/meter (S/m)

The SI unit of electrical conductivity, representing the reciprocal of resistivity. Higher values indicate better conductors. 1 S/m = 1/Ω·m.

Common uses: Materials science, conductor selection, semiconductor characterization, water quality assessment.

Mho/meter (mho/m)

Alternative SI unit, where "mho" is "ohm" spelled backwards. 1 mho/m = 1 S/m. The mho is equivalent to siemens.

Common uses: Legacy electrical measurements, reciprocal of resistance calculations, historical data.

Mho/centimeter (mho/cm)

CGS-derived unit of conductivity. 1 mho/cm = 100 S/m. Historically used in materials science.

Common uses: Semiconductor doping characterization, older materials specifications, laboratory measurements.

Picosiemens/meter (pS/m)

One trillionth of a siemens per meter. 1 pS/m = 10⁻¹² S/m. Used for very low conductivity measurements.

Common uses: Insulator characterization, ultra-pure water measurement, high-resistance materials.

Abmho/meter (abmho/m)

CGS electromagnetic unit of conductivity. 1 abmho/m = 10⁹ S/m. Extremely large value in CGS-emu system.

Application: Legacy CGS calculations, high-conductivity measurements in historical systems.

Statmho/meter (stmho/m)

CGS electrostatic unit of conductivity. 1 stmho/m ≈ 1.112 × 10⁻¹¹ S/m. Part of CGS-esu system.

Application: Theoretical electrostatics, CGS-esu calculations, academic physics research.

Electrical Conductivity Context & Material Properties

• Silver (Ag): ~6.3 × 10⁷ S/m (best conductor)
• Copper (Cu): ~5.96 × 10⁷ S/m (most practical conductor)
• Aluminum (Al): ~3.5 × 10⁷ S/m
• Stainless steel: ~1.4 × 10⁶ S/m
• Carbon (graphite): ~3 × 10⁵ S/m
• Pure water (distilled): ~5.5 × 10⁻⁶ S/m
• Seawater: ~5 S/m (due to dissolved salts)
• Tap water (typical): ~0.005-0.05 S/m
• Glass (at room temp): ~10⁻¹⁰ S/m
• Rubber/Plastic: ~10⁻¹⁵ S/m (insulator)
• Silicon (doped): ~10⁻³ to 10³ S/m (depends on doping level)
• Temperature coefficient: Most conductors decrease ~0.4-0.6% per °C

Conductivity vs Resistivity Relationship

Electrical conductivity (σ) is the reciprocal of resistivity (ρ): σ = 1/ρ

This relationship is fundamental in materials science and electrical engineering. Understanding both parameters is essential for:

• Selecting appropriate materials for specific applications
• Designing circuits with proper impedance matching
• Evaluating semiconductor doping levels
• Assessing water purity and quality
• Analyzing material degradation and contamination