Conductance

/kənˈdʌktəns/ noun

Definition

In physics and electricity, a measure of how easily electric current flows through a material; the reciprocal of electrical resistance.

Etymology

From 'conduct' (from Latin 'conducere') plus the suffix '-ance' (from Latin '-antia'), which forms nouns from verbs indicating a state, quality, or instance. The electrical meaning developed in the 19th century as the science of electricity advanced.

Kelly Says

Conductance is the 'opposite twin' of resistance—if resistance is how much a material blocks electricity, conductance is how eagerly it welcomes electricity; copper has high conductance while rubber has low conductance, which is why copper wires carry power and rubber insulates.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.