conductivity

noun

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con·duc·tiv·i·ty | \ ˌkän-ˌdək-ˈti-və-tē

, kən- \

plural conductivities

Definition of conductivity

: the quality or power of conducting or transmitting: such as

a : the reciprocal of electrical resistivity

b : the quality of living matter responsible for the transmission of and progressive reaction to stimuli

Examples of conductivity in a Sentence

measuring the conductivity of different metals

Recent Examples on the Web For the first time, researchers have measured the thermal conductivity—the rate at which heat is conducted—inside human cells. — Alla Katsnelson, Scientific American, "Mysterious Heat Spikes inside Cells Are Probed with Tiny Diamonds," 15 Jan. 2021 The heat conductivity identified in the new work can explain smaller heat spikes of a couple of degrees F, though not the massive heat surge in mitochondria, Suzuki says. — Alla Katsnelson, Scientific American, "Mysterious Heat Spikes inside Cells Are Probed with Tiny Diamonds," 15 Jan. 2021 For Cameron's dive, scientists depended on a formula that uses conductivity, temperature, and density readings from the surrounding water column to determine pressure, then meters traveled. — Purbita Saha, Popular Science, "James Cameron doesn’t think his deep-sea diving record was broken. So we investigated.," 16 Sep. 2019 The test itself uses strips of paper with thin, stacked sheets of graphene that have been infused with nitrogen atoms to increase their electrical conductivity, according to Gizmodo. — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, "This Chili-Shaped Smartphone Accessory Can Measure a Pepper’s Spiciness," 12 Nov. 2020 The tri-ply stainless construction provided a grade-A performance, which was particularly helpful for heat conductivity and durability, thanks to the stainless steel linings. — Melissa Lee, USA TODAY, "The 5 best Amazon deals you can get this weekend," 17 Oct. 2020 Graphene is an electrical conductor, however, whereas MoS2 is a semiconductor—a substance whose conductivity can be manipulated by outside stimulation, such as light. — Karen Kwon, Scientific American, "Metal-Breathing Bacteria Synthesize High-Tech Material," 20 Oct. 2020 These were placed in a diamond anvil along with some platinum electrodes to test their conductivity. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "First room-temperature superconductor reported," 14 Oct. 2020 An incorrect attachment nut may have been used to attach the battery positive (B+) power supply cable to the starter motor, possibly affecting the electrical conductivity, resulting in excess heat and electrical arcing. — Detroit Free Press, "Car recalls for August 20-27," 29 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conductivity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.