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Why did you want the metals to be clean or polished before you tested them for electrical conductivity?
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
Many metals combine with oxygen in the air, forming a layer of metal oxides on the surface. Many metal oxides have different conductivity than the pure metal, and some are essentially not conductive at all; aluminum oxide would be a good example of an extremely good insulator.
Some oxide/metal junctions can even form simple diodes! Since you're interested in just the conductivity of the pure metal, you have to remove the oxides first. For really accurate measurements, this is generally going to take place in a noble gas blanket such as argon, so that the oxygen in the air can't get to it to form more oxides. Going back to the example of an aluminum surface, if you polished it in air, it would form a new oxide layer far faster than you could buff it off.
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoYou should clean metals before trying an experiment to ensure that nothing an accounted for is introduced into the experiments. Chemicals and other substance, if left on your tools, can affect the outcome of your experiment.
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Why are metals have high elctrical conductivity?
Metals have high electrical conductivity because they have alot of free mobile electrons. Metals have metallic bonding in which a sea of electrons is created. It is this sea of electrons that enables metals to conduct electricity so well.
What happen to electrical conductivity down the group in a periodic table?
The organization of the periodic table in terms of conductors of electricity could also be said to be the organization of the periodic table in terms of metallic character, since metals are the best conductors of electricity. Metallic character decreases across a period and increases down a group.
In general metals are .?
Generally metals are hard, dense, with good thermal and electrical conductivity, can form cations, many are malleable or ductiles, etc.
Three properties of metals that are caused by metallic bonding?
Three properties of metals that are caused by metallic bonding are electrical conductivity, malleability, and ductility.
Are alkali metals thermal or electrical conductivity?
The alkali metals are the most reactive metals in the periodic table of elements.
What factor should change in electrical conductivity of metals and non metals?
Electrical conductivity depends on temperature.
What are conductivity metals?
Metals have a higher electrical and thermal conductivity than nonmetals.
Do nonmetals or metals have high thermal and electrical conductivity?
Both thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity tend to be higher in metals than in most other materials.
Is magnesium an electrical conductivity?
All metals are electrically conductive.
Why can transition metals be used to make electrical wires?
Their high conductivity is why transition metals are used to make electrical wires.
Is the electrical conductivity of molten metals high or low?
Metals are already good electrical conductors, and melting metals increases their electrical conductivity. All that heat (thermal energy) allows electrons a lot more mobility so they can more effectively contribute to current flow.
What property of metals contribute to their tendency to use electrical conductivity?
The electrons in metals are delocalized, they move freely.
What are elements that show moderate electrical conductivity?
Semiconductors are elements that show moderate electrical conductivity. Metalloids are elements that show properties of both metals and nonmetals.
What are three properties of metals that are results of metallic bonds?
electrical conductivity, malleability, & ductility.
What property of metallic bonds affect the thermal and electrical conductivity of metals?
electron negativity
Why are transition metals used to make electrical wires?
Because of thier high conductivity
Why are metals have high elctrical conductivity?
Metals have high electrical conductivity because they have alot of free mobile electrons. Metals have metallic bonding in which a sea of electrons is created. It is this sea of electrons that enables metals to conduct electricity so well.
