Electrical resistivity and conductivity ions. In biological membranes, currents are carried by ionic salts. Small holes in cell membranes, called ion channels, are selective to specific ions and determine the membrane resistance. The electrical resistivity of a metallic conductor decreases gradually as temperature is lowered. In ordinary conductors, such as copper or silver, this decrease is limited by impurities and other defects. Even near absolute zero, a real sample of a normal conductor shows some resistance. In a superconductor, the resistance drops abruptly to zero when the material is cooled below its critical temperature. An electric current flowing in a loop of superconducting wire
Thermal conductivity measurement a heater or temperature sensor element. By having strong thermal insulation surrounding the diode, heat escapes only through an exposed cooling tab, which is used as the probe for the thermal interface material measurements. This method shares similarities with the ASTM D5470 standard, such as the measurement of the thermal resistance at different material thickness levels. The system is designed to measure high thermal conductivity thermal interface materials. Its applicability for the measurement of insulators is more limited. A thermal conductance tester, one of the instruments of gemology, determines if gems are genuine diamonds using diamond's uniquely high thermal conductivity.