Many metals conduct electricity well, but some are better than others. Here's a list of metals ranked by their electrical conductivity, with those that perform almost equally well:
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Top Conductive Metals (Almost Equal in Performance)
Metal Conductivity (Relative to Copper) Remarks
Silver (Ag) 105% Best conductor but expensive. Used in specialized electronics.
Copper (Cu) 100% Most commonly used in wires and cables.
Gold (Au) 70% Excellent, doesn’t tarnish. Used in high-end electronics.
Aluminum (Al) 61% Lightweight, cheaper than copper. Used in power lines.
Zinc (Zn) ~27% Moderate conductor, often used for coatings.
Nickel (Ni) ~22% Used in batteries and some circuits.
Iron (Fe) ~17% Lower conductivity, used structurally.
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Metals With Nearly Equal Conductivity
Silver and Copper are almost equal, with silver just slightly better.
Gold, though lower than copper, is very stable and reliable under long use, so it's often used for connector pins.
Aluminum is commonly used where weight and cost matter, despite lower conductivity.
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