Question

Silver is the best conductor of heat and electricity.
(a) True
(b) False

Answer 1

Hint: The specific resistance of Silver at 293 K is $1.59 × 10^{−8}$ Ωm at $20^oC$ which is the lowest of all metals. Think of what this would imply in terms of the conductivity of heat and electricity.

Complete step-by-Step Solution:
Let us first understand what the conductivity of an element is before we look at the specific case of Silver.
Conductivity is the measure of the ease at which an electric charge or heat can pass through a material. A conductor is a material which gives very little resistance to the flow of an electric current or thermal energy.
In other words, conductivity refers to the ability of a material to transmit energy. There are different types of conductivity, including electrical, thermal, and acoustical conductivity. The most electrically conductive element is silver, followed by copper and gold. Silver also has the highest thermal conductivity of any element and the highest light reflectance.
Silver is the best conductor because its electrons are freer to move than those of the other elements, thereby making it more suitable for the conduction of electricity and heat than any other element.
Therefore, the correct answer to this question is “Silver is the best conductor of heat and electricity” is a true statement.

Note: Although it is the best conductor, copper and gold are used more often in electrical applications because copper is less expensive and gold has a much higher corrosion resistance. Because silver tarnishes, it is less desirable for high frequencies because the exterior surface becomes less conductive.