Of the metal elements, the three named in the question all have very good conductivity properties. Four metals that are associated with electricity starting from the best are, silver, copper, gold and then aluminium. Cost rules out the first and third in the list leaving copper and aluminium as the most common conductors used the electrical trade today.
For most applications ... where the wire has no function other than to join the components that accomplish the purpose of the circuit ... the best metal to use for wiring would be the one with the smallest resistivity. That would be silver. A big part of the reason that we usually settle for copper is because it is only second best as a conductor and is a lot less expensive than silver.
Copper holds a 92-percent market share of electrical wiring in building (8 percent aluminum).
Answer: Copper has to be pure to ensure the electricity flows properly. Answer: Copper used in wiring is not laboratory-grade (elemental) copper, however, the purity is great enough to insure that the conductivity is consistently high, and that it will not degrade during installation or in service (use).
Silver is the best electrical conductor. Copper is second. Gold is third. Aluminum is a good conductor but not for house wiring. It is used for high tension wires.
Too expensive, it would be stolen (as it is there are people stealing copper electrical wiring, and copper is much cheaper than gold).
For most applications ... where the wire has no function other than to join the components that accomplish the purpose of the circuit ... the best metal to use for wiring would be the one with the smallest resistivity. That would be silver. A big part of the reason that we usually settle for copper is because it is only second best as a conductor and is a lot less expensive than silver.
Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity. Among metals it is second only o silver, which is too expensive for practical use in wiring. Copper is also extremely ductile, meaning it can be easily drawn into wires without breaking.
Copper holds a 92-percent market share of electrical wiring in building (8 percent aluminum).
copper
Even though silver is the best conductor of electricity, it is extremely expensive. Thus silver is not used to make electical wires. Silver is also very soft to be used as electric wires.
Copper is the cheapest and widely used element in wiring. Copper alloys are also used for the long run, increase flexibility and better handle of temperature changes.
It is because of all the available metals copper is the best conductor for electric current. Silver is slightly better but too expensive to use.
Answer: Copper has to be pure to ensure the electricity flows properly. Answer: Copper used in wiring is not laboratory-grade (elemental) copper, however, the purity is great enough to insure that the conductivity is consistently high, and that it will not degrade during installation or in service (use).
Electrical wiring.
Silver is the best electrical conductor. Copper is second. Gold is third. Aluminum is a good conductor but not for house wiring. It is used for high tension wires.
Most automotive wiring is stranded copper.
Electrical auto wiring is almost all copper.