Why is wires made of copper

For more information, please see our privacy policy. Want to read the latest news from Monroe Engineering? Click Here. Skip to content. Get a Quote. High Conductivity Surpassed only by silver, copper is a highly conductive metal.

Inexpensive Copper is also relatively inexpensive when compared to other metals. Tags: Copper , Metal , Wires. More Popular Posts. Distinguish between metals and non-metals on the basis of their properties. Sodium and Potassium are stored in kerosene because they are very reactive and quickly react in air. Immersion rods are made up of metallic substances because metals are good conductors of heat and electricity. They get hot very soon and allow to passage of current and warm water.

Aluminium foils are used to wrap food items because aluminium is highly malleable and can be beaten into sheets to form these thin wrapping sheets and it is soft and it does not react with food items. Book Chosen Science. Subject Chosen Science. Book Store Download books and chapters from book store. Most wires are made out of copper because it conducts electricity with high flexibility and very little resistance.

The first stage in the manufacturing process of a conductor is the wire-drawing. The wire-drawing consists of reducing the diameter of the wire gradually to fit its final diameter to increase ductility and conductivity. Once the diameter is reduced, the wire is drawn further to decrease the diameter of the wire to the size needed for each kind of conductor. In the second stage of this process, the wires undergo a heat treatment called annealing.

Annealing is a process of heating metal and allowing it to cool slowly in order to remove internal stresses and toughen the metal.

Copper is also less oxidative than other metals. This reaction corrodes the metal and produces a film-like covering, like rust on steel. Copper does not rust, but will produce a greenish patina called copper oxide.

While aluminum can be used for electrical needs, copper is better in a number of ways. For one, aluminum has lower conductivity than copper, and is also more prone to oxidation.

The aluminum oxide that forms on the surface is not conductive like copper oxide, which means it will interfere with the flow of electricity. In order to combat this oxidation, aluminum must be covered with an anti-oxidant cream. There can also be safety issues with aluminum electrical connectors.