conductance

views updated Jun 11 2018

conductance (symbol G) Ability of a material to conduct electricity. In a direct current (DC) circuit, it is the reciprocal of electrical resistance that opposes the flow. This means it is multiplied to produce unity. For example, a conductor of resistance R has a conductance of 1/R. In an alternating current (AC) circuit, it is the resistance divided by the square of impedance (the opposition of a circuit to the passage of a current; G = R/Z2. SI units of conductance are siemens (symbol S).

conductance

views updated May 08 2018

conductance (κ) In a direct current circuit, the reciprocal of the circuit's resistance; in an alternating current circuit, the circuit's resistance divided by the square of its impedance, the result being the real component of admittance. In both cases, the SI unit is the siemens (S), formerly known as the mhos (reciprocal ohms).

conductance

views updated May 21 2018

con·duct·ance / kənˈdəktəns/ • n. the degree to which an object conducts electricity, calculated as the ratio of the current that flows to the potential difference present. This is the reciprocal of the resistance, and is measured in siemens or mhos. (Symbol: G)