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Yes, different metals resist the flow of electric current by different amounts. This property of the material is called its resistivity, and is measured in ohm-metres (Ω m).

You can measure the resistivity by taking a wire of length L and cross-sectional area A, and measuring the resistance along it. You can measure the resistance by measuring the current and the voltage along the wire. If you apply a voltage V (in volts, V) along the length of the wire, and measure the resulting current as I (in amps, A), then the resistance R (in ohms, Ω) is given by:

R = I / V

The resistivity of the material (in ohm-metres) is given by:

ρ = R A / L

= resistance (ohms) x cross-sectional area of wire (square metres) / length of wire (metres)

Typical values for the resistivity at 20 degrees Celsius range from the order of 10-8 Ω m (for conductors such as copper or silver) to 1013 Ω m (for insulators such as hard rubber), or even higher.

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Related Questions

Why does nichrome get hot?

Nichrome has a high electrical resistivity.


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