Resistivity of Steel

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Bibliographic Entry	Result (w/surrounding text)	Standardized Result
C. Weast, Robert. Handbook of Chemistry and of Physics- 48th Edition. Ohio: The Chemical Rubber Co., 1968: F-130.	"Steel, piano wire (0 °C): Resistivity = 11.8 × 10⁻⁶ Ωcm"	1.18 × 10⁻⁷ Ωm
R. Lide, David. Handbook of Chemistry and of Physics- 75h Edition. London: The Chemical Rubber Co., 1995: 12-185.	[see table 1 below]	7.2 × 10⁻⁷ Ωm
Conductivity of Metals Sorted by Resistivity. Eddy Current Technology Incorporated.1955.	[see table 2 below]	1.611 to 7.496 × 10⁻⁷ Ωm
Resistance and Resistivity. School Science.	"Steel (varies): 10 to 100 × 10⁻⁸ Ωm"	1 to 10 × 10⁻⁷ Ωm

Steel is an alloy, consisting of iron and carbon. It has many metallic properties, which change with variations in the amount of carbon. Differences in quantity and placement of carbon in the alloy changes the hardness and strength of the ensuing steel; with increasing amounts of carbon, steel can become even stronger and harder than iron.

Electrical resistivity can be found by measuring how strongly a material withstands the flow of an electrical current. if a material has low resistivity, then it is easier for electricity to flow through this material. the SI unit for resistivity is the ohm meter, Ωm. Electrical resistivity is represented by the Greek letter rho, ρ. The static resistivity of a material is equal to its electrical resistivity multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the sample divided by the length of the sample

ρ = RA/ℓ

According to Ohm's Law, the electrical resistance of a conductor is equal to the potential difference, or voltage drop between two connected points in a conductor, divided by the flow of electrical current in the conductor. The resistivity of steel is on the order of 10⁻⁷ Ωm.

TABLE 1
RESIST.   COND.             SOURCE
ohm-m     SIEMENS/m  % IACS  CODE MATERIAL
1.611E-07 6.206E+06    10.70   1  Steel, Cast
5.945E-07 1.682E+06     2.90   1  Steel, High Alloy
6.897E-07 1.450E+06     2.50   1  Steel, 304 Stainless
6.897E-07 1.450E+06     2.50   2  Steel, 304 Stainless
7.184E-07 1.392E+06     2.40   1  Steel, 347 Stainless
7.184E-07 1.392E+06     2.40   2  Zircaloy - 2
7.496E-07 1.334E+06     2.30   1  Steel, 316 Stainless

Table 2
Common Name	Thermal Conductivity (W/cm K)	Density (g/cm³)	Coeff. of linear expansion (℃⁻¹)
Stainless Steel type 304	0.15	7.9	17.3
Electrical Resistivity (μΩ cm)	Modulus of elasticity (GPa)	Tensile strength (MPa)	Approx. melting point (°C)
72	195	550	1425

Umran Ugur -- 2006