True or False: Aluminum conductors are more conductive than copper conductors.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not applicable
• D. N/A

Answer: (B)

Conductivity depends on resistivity: a material with lower resistivity carries current more easily for the same shape. Copper has a lower resistivity than aluminum, so it conducts more current with less voltage drop in the same cross-section. At room temperature, copper is about 1.68×10^-8 Ω·m while aluminum is about 2.65×10^-8 Ω·m, which makes copper roughly 1.6 times more conductive. That’s why you’ll see copper used where maximum conductivity matters, even though aluminum is lighter and cheaper; to match copper’s current-carrying capacity, aluminum must have a larger cross-section.