Enter either electrical conductivity (σ) or resistivity (ρ) to instantly convert between the two. You can also select a preset material (like copper, silver, or aluminum) to auto-fill known values. The calculator applies the fundamental relationship ρ = 1/σ and returns both the resistivity in Ω·m and conductivity in S/m.
Resistivity (ρ)
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Conductivity (σ)
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Material
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Resistivity (Scientific Notation)
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Conductivity (Scientific Notation)
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Conductivity (σ) is simply the reciprocal of resistivity (ρ): σ = 1/ρ. For example, if a material has a resistivity of 1.68 × 10⁻⁸ Ω·m (like annealed copper), its conductivity is approximately 5.96 × 10⁷ S/m. Just divide 1 by the resistivity value to get conductivity.
Resistivity (ρ) is measured in <strong>Ohm-meters (Ω·m)</strong> in the SI system. Conductivity (σ) is measured in <strong>Siemens per meter (S/m)</strong>, which is equivalent to (Ω·m)⁻¹. Since they are reciprocals, multiplying a resistivity in Ω·m by its corresponding conductivity in S/m always equals 1.
Annealed copper has an electrical conductivity of approximately <strong>5.96 × 10⁷ S/m</strong> at room temperature (20°C). This corresponds to a resistivity of about 1.68 × 10⁻⁸ Ω·m. Copper is one of the most conductive metals, which is why it is widely used in electrical wiring.
Resistivity is an intrinsic property of the material itself — it does not depend on the shape or dimensions of the conductor. Stretching the wire changes its resistance (because length increases and cross-section decreases), but the resistivity remains <strong>10 Ω·m</strong> unchanged.
Resistance (R) depends on both the material and the physical dimensions of a conductor (length and cross-sectional area), measured in Ohms (Ω). Resistivity (ρ) is a material-only property that describes how strongly a substance opposes current flow, measured in Ω·m. The relationship is R = ρ × L / A, where L is length and A is cross-sectional area.
Silver has the highest electrical conductivity of all metals at approximately 6.30 × 10⁷ S/m, followed closely by copper and gold. At the other extreme, insulating materials like glass or quartz have conductivities as low as 10⁻¹² S/m or less, giving them extremely high resistivities.
Yes — for most metals, resistivity increases with temperature (conductivity decreases) because higher thermal energy causes more electron scattering. For semiconductors like silicon, the opposite is true: resistivity decreases as temperature rises. The values shown in this calculator are standard reference values at room temperature (~20°C).
Yes. The formula ρ = 1/σ applies to all materials regardless of their classification as conductors, semiconductors, or insulators. Simply enter the known conductivity or resistivity value. Keep in mind that for semiconductors and insulators the values can span many orders of magnitude, so scientific notation inputs (e.g. 1.5e-3) are fully supported.