Electrical conductivity is a measure of how well a material transports an electric charge.[9] This is an essential property in electrical wiring systems.

Copper has the highest electrical conductivity rating of all non-precious metals (electrical conductivity of copper = 101% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard); electrical resistivity of copper = 16.78 nm at 20 C). Oxygen-Free Electronic (OFE) copper achieves a minimum of 101% IACS. The solid state theory of metals
[10]

helps to explain the unusually high electrical

conductivity of copper. In a copper atom, the outermost 4s energy zone, or conduction band, is only half filled, so many electrons are able to carry electric current. When an electric field is applied to a copper wire, the conduction of electrons accelerates towards the electropositive end, thereby creating a current. These electrons encounter resistance to their passage by colliding with impurity atoms, vacancies, lattice ions, and imperfections. The average distance travelled between collisions, defined as the mean free path, is inversely proportional to the resistivity of the metal. What is unique about copper is its long mean free path (approximately 100 atomic spacings at room temperature). Furthermore, this mean free path increases rapidly as copper is chilled.[11] Silver, an expensive precious metal, is the only metal with a higher electrical conductivity rating than copper (i.e., electrical conductivity of silver = 106% IACS, electrical resistivity of silver = 15.9 nm at 20C).[12][13] The high cost of silver combined with its low tensile strength limits its use to special applications, such as joint plating and sliding contact surfaces. With the exception of silver, copper conducts electricity with less resistance than any other metallic material.[14] Because of its superior conductivity, annealed copper became the international standard to which all other electrical conductors are compared. In 1913, the International Electrotechnical Commission set the conductivity of copper in its International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS) to 100%. Today, copper conductors used in building wire often exceed the 100% IACS standard. The main grade of copper used for electrical applications, such as building wire, motor windings, cables and busbars, is electrolytic-tough pitch (ETP) copper (CW004A or ASTM designation C100140). This copper is at least 99.90% pure and

has an electrical conductivity of at least 101% IACS. ETP copper contains a small percentage of oxygen (0.02 to 0.04%). If high conductivity copper needs to be welded or brazed or used in a reducing atmosphere, then oxygen-free high conductivity copper (CW008A or ASTM designation C10100) may be used.[15] Several electrically conductive metals are lighter than copper, but since they require larger cross sections to carry the same current, they are unacceptable when limited space is a major requirement.[16][17] Aluminium has 61% of the conductivity of copper.[18] The cross sectional area of an aluminium conductor must be 56% larger than copper for the same current carrying capability.[19] The need to increase the thickness of aluminium wire restricts its use in several applications,[20] such as in small motors and automobiles. In some applications such as aerial electric power transmission cables, thickness is an advantage and copper is rare.