Electric Resistivity Converter — Resistance per Length Converter
Convert electric resistivity between different units including Ω·m, Ω·cm, μΩ·m, μΩ·cm, and more. Essential for material science, electrical engineering, and conductor selection. Electric resistivity measures how strongly a material opposes the flow of electric current. See also our Electric Conductivity Converter and Electric Field Strength Converter.
Value:
How to Convert Electric Resistivity
- Enter the electric resistivity value in the input field above.
- Select the unit you are converting from in the "From" dropdown menu.
- Select the unit you want to convert to in the "To" dropdown menu.
- The result will automatically appear in the result field.
- Use the copy button to copy the result to your clipboard.
- Click any conversion in the list below to quickly select those units.
Electric Resistivity Formula
Electric Resistivity Definition:
ρ = R × A / L
Where:
ρ = Resistivity (Ω·m)
R = Resistance (Ω)
A = Cross-sectional area (m²)
L = Length (m)
Unit Conversion Formula:
ρ₂ = ρ₁ × (conversion_factor₁ / conversion_factor₂)
Common Units:
SI Unit: Ω·m (Ohm meter)
Common: Ω·cm, μΩ·m, μΩ·cm
Imperial: Ω·in, Ω·ft, Ω·cmil/ft
Unit Relationships:
1 Ω·m = 100 Ω·cm = 1000 Ω·mm
1 Ω·m = 10⁶ μΩ·m = 10⁸ μΩ·cm
1 Ω·m = 0.001 kΩ·m = 10⁻⁶ MΩ·m
Resistance from Resistivity:
R = ρL/A
Temperature Dependence:
ρ(T) = ρ₀[1 + α(T - T₀)]
Where: α = temperature coefficientExample Conversion
Problem: Convert 1.68 μΩ·cm (copper resistivity) to Ω·m and μΩ·m.
Given: ρ = 1.68 μΩ·cm
Solution:
• To Ω·m: 1.68 μΩ·cm × 10⁻⁸ Ω·m/μΩ·cm = 1.68×10⁻⁸ Ω·m
• To μΩ·m: 1.68 μΩ·cm × 10⁻² m/cm = 0.0168 μΩ·m
Answer: 1.68 μΩ·cm = 1.68×10⁻⁸ Ω·m = 0.0168 μΩ·m
Technical Details
Electric resistivity is an intrinsic property of a material that quantifies how strongly it opposes the flow of electric current. Unlike resistance, which depends on geometry, resistivity is a material constant (at a given temperature). It is the reciprocal of electrical conductivity. Materials are classified as conductors (ρ less than 10⁻⁵ Ω·m), semiconductors (10⁻⁵ to 10⁶ Ω·m), or insulators (greater than 10⁶ Ω·m).
Resistivity depends on temperature, with metals showing increasing resistivity at higher temperatures (positive temperature coefficient) and semiconductors showing decreasing resistivity (negative temperature coefficient). Copper (1.68×10⁻⁸ Ω·m) and aluminum (2.65×10⁻⁸ Ω·m) are the most common conductor materials, while silver (1.59×10⁻⁸ Ω·m) has the lowest resistivity of any element.
Electric Resistivity Reference Table
| Material | Resistivity (Ω·m) | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | 1.59×10⁻⁸ | Conductor |
| Copper | 1.68×10⁻⁸ | Conductor |
| Aluminum | 2.65×10⁻⁸ | Conductor |
| Iron | 9.7×10⁻⁸ | Conductor |
| Nichrome | 1.1×10⁻⁶ | Alloy (heating elements) |
| Silicon (pure) | 6.4×10² | Semiconductor |
| Germanium | 4.6×10⁻¹ | Semiconductor |
| Glass | 10¹⁰ to 10¹⁴ | Insulator |
| Rubber | 10¹³ | Insulator |
| Teflon | 10²³ to 10²⁵ | Insulator |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is electric resistivity?
Electric resistivity is an intrinsic material property that measures how strongly a material opposes electric current flow. It is measured in ohm-meters (Ω·m) and depends on the material composition and temperature, but not on the shape or size of the sample.
What is the difference between resistance and resistivity?
Resistance (R, in ohms) depends on material, length, and cross-section: R = ρL/A. Resistivity (ρ, in Ω·m) is a material property independent of geometry. A long thin wire has high resistance but the same resistivity as a short thick wire of the same material.
How does temperature affect resistivity?
For metals, resistivity increases with temperature (positive temperature coefficient) due to increased lattice vibrations scattering electrons. For semiconductors, resistivity decreases with temperature (negative coefficient) as more charge carriers are thermally generated.
Why is copper used for electrical wiring?
Copper has the second-lowest resistivity (1.68×10⁻⁸ Ω·m) after silver, combined with good ductility, corrosion resistance, and reasonable cost. Silver is slightly better electrically but too expensive for bulk wiring applications.
What is the relationship between resistivity and conductivity?
Resistivity (ρ) and conductivity (σ) are reciprocals: σ = 1/ρ. Conductivity is measured in siemens per meter (S/m). High conductivity means low resistivity and vice versa. Copper has σ = 5.96×10⁷ S/m.
Objective of Measurement:
Measurement is the most important aspect of our life. We use measurement in science, engineering, business trading, personal life, education, and more other fields. As technology is growing day by day so we need a highly accurate and easy convenient global measuring system in each and every field. It is essential to use standard measurement in every field that everyone to be sure that they not get cheated.
History of Measurement:
In history for measurement people used the human body as a tool. For measuring length used forearm, hand, foot & finger as a unit. The foot, finger is a subdivided shorter unit of a length. This type of measurement is not accurate cause different in size of the arm & finger for different people & some of the countries still using it. In history, there were lots of measuring systems developed but mostly used imperial, the metric system of measurement. We use these systems for measure distances, volume, weight, speed, area etc. Due to this a major problem everyone is facing while doing trading between the countries. A huge improvement in civilization, It necessary to improve measuring standards. Nowadays International Standard (SI) units are used as a global measurement system.
Electric Resistivity Conversion - Unit Converter:
Our electric resistivity conversion converter convert ohm meter [Ω·m], ohm centimeter [Ω·cm], microohm meter [μΩ·m], microohm centimeter [μΩ·cm], ohm millimeter [Ω·mm], milliohm meter [mΩ·m], milliohm centimeter [mΩ·cm], kilohm meter [kΩ·m], megohm meter [MΩ·m], ohm inch [Ω·in], ohm foot [Ω·ft], ohm circular mil per foot [Ω·cmil/ft] vice versa with metric conversion.
Electric resistivity conversions & its abbreviations
| Unit | Abbreviation | Unit | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ohm meter | Ω·m | ohm centimeter | Ω·cm |
| microohm meter | μΩ·m | microohm centimeter | μΩ·cm |
| ohm millimeter | Ω·mm | milliohm meter | mΩ·m |
| milliohm centimeter | mΩ·cm | kilohm meter | kΩ·m |
| megohm meter | MΩ·m | ohm inch | Ω·in |
| ohm foot | Ω·ft | ohm circular mil/ft | Ω·cmil/ft |
Complete list of Electric resistivity conversion units and its conversion.
1 ohm meter [Ω·m] = 100 ohm centimeter [Ω·cm]
1 ohm centimeter [Ω·cm] = 0.01 ohm meter [Ω·m]
1 ohm meter [Ω·m] = 1000000 microohm meter [μΩ·m]
1 microohm meter [μΩ·m] = 0.000001 ohm meter [Ω·m]
1 ohm meter [Ω·m] = 100000000 microohm centimeter [μΩ·cm]
1 microohm centimeter [μΩ·cm] = 0.00000001 ohm meter [Ω·m]
1 ohm meter [Ω·m] = 1000 milliohm meter [mΩ·m]
1 milliohm meter [mΩ·m] = 0.001 ohm meter [Ω·m]
1 ohm meter [Ω·m] = 0.001 kilohm meter [kΩ·m]
1 kilohm meter [kΩ·m] = 1000 ohm meter [Ω·m]