resistivity

views updated May 23 2018

re·sis·tiv·i·ty / riˌzisˈtivətē/ • n. Physics a measure of the resisting power of a specified material to the flow of an electric current.

resistivity

views updated Jun 27 2018

resistivity (symbol ρ) Electrical property of materials. Its value is given by ρ = AR/l, where A is the cross-sectional area of a conductor, l is its length, and R is its resistance. Resistivity is generally expressed in units of ohm-metres and is a measure of the resistance of a piece of material of given size.