Copper greater strength than monocrystalline forms. The softness of copper partly explains its high electrical conductivity (59.6×10 S/m) and high thermal conductivity, second highest (second only to silver) among pure metals at room temperature. This is because the resistivity to electron transport in metals at room temperature originates primarily from scattering of electrons on thermal vibrations of the lattice, which are relatively weak in a soft metal. The maximum permissible current density of copper in open air is approximately 3.1×10 A/m of cross-sectional area, above which it begins to heat excessively. Copper is one of a few metallic elements with a
Thermal conductivity and it is measured in watts per square metre of surface area for a temperature gradient of 1 K per unit thickness of 1 m". Therefore, specific thermal conductivity is calculated as: where: formula_14 = temperature difference (K, or °C) = 1 K during measurement Absolute thermal conductivity, on the other hand, has units of formula_15 or formula_16, and can be expressed as where formula_18 = absolute thermal conductivity (W/K, or W/°C). Substituting formula_18 for formula_20 into the first equation yields the equation which converts from absolute thermal conductivity to specific thermal conductivity: Solving for formula_18, we get the equation