• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Circuits Gallery

Circuits Gallery

All about Electronics and Circuits

  • Home
  • Basics
    • Components
    • Wiring
    • Circuitry
    • Oscilloscope
    • Conductivity
  • Project
    • Using 555 Timer
    • Using Op-Amp
  • MicroController
    • PIC
  • Arduino
  • Simulation
  • Digital
  • Communication
  • How To
  • About Us

Is Lead Conductive | Exploring the Conductive Properties of Lead

January 26, 2023 by Charles Clark Leave a Comment

Lead is a heavy metal. Like other metals, Pure lead is a conductor of both electricity and heat. However, lead is not as conductive as other metals such as copper, silver, gold, aluminum, etc. Lead has relatively a higher resistivity. 

Lead is a post-transition metal. It is very soft and malleable. Lead’s atomic number is 82. As lead has a higher atomic number and it is comparatively heavy, it shows a weaker metallic character. Therefore, it is less conductive of heat and electricity than other metals. 

Is Lead Conductive

Is Lead Conductive

Lead is a p-block element. It is denoted with the 82Pb symbol. It is a very soft and pliable metal. If you go from left to right of the periodic table, the metallic property of an element decreases. Lead is located on the far right and bottom of the periodic table among the metals. Therefore, lead shows weak metallic properties.

Metals form metallic bonds. In this metallic bond, atoms of the metals are surrounded by a continuously moving sea of electrons. This moving electron sea allows metals to conduct electricity. Though lead is a weak metal, it still has metallic properties. Therefore, pure lead is both a conductor of electricity and heat.

Lead has a higher resistivity than other light metals. The electrical resistivity of lead at 20 °C is 220 nΩ⋅m which is higher than those of other metals (The resistivity of copper, gold, and aluminum are respectively 16.8 nΩ·m, 24.4 nΩ·m, and 26.5 nΩ·m.). Hence, lead is relatively a poor electric conductor. 

Lead can also act as a type-I superconductor at temperatures lower than 7.2 K. The thermal conductivity of lead is 35.3 Wm-1⋅K-1 which is pretty much lower than other metals. So, lead is not a good heat conductor as well. It has a low melting and boiling point than other light metals.  

Though lead is conductive, lead compounds are not. Metallic oxides are very poor conductors of heat and electricity. Lead reacts readily with the atmosphere’s oxygen to form lead oxides which do not allow electricity and heat to pass through it. This is why lead is not generally used as a conductor.

Is Lead a Good Conductor of Electricity

Lead is a poor conductor of electricity relative to other metals such as copper, gold, etc. It is a heavy, soft, and malleable metal. It has a higher atomic number and mass. As lead has a higher resistivity than other industrial metals, it is considered a poor conductor of electricity.

The atoms of the metal are surrounded by these free electrons known as the ‘Electron Sea’. While connected to the power, the electrons can move freely throughout the structure which makes electric current possible.

Electricity is defined as the flow of electrons. Metals form metallic bonds that Lead is a weak metal. As a metal, lead also forms metallic bonds. But unlike other metals, lead possesses fewer free electrons in its structure. As it lacks free electrons, the resistivity of lead metal is very high compared to other metals. Therefore, lead is a bad conductor of electricity. 

There is another reason why lead is considered a bad conductor. When exposed, it reacts with the atmosphere very instantly and forms lead oxides. These oxides do not allow electricity to pass through. Other metals do not form metallic oxides so spontaneously. Hence, lead is not a good conductor of electricity.

What Is the Conductivity of Lead

Lead is both electrically and thermally conductive. However, it has relatively poor conductivity than other metals. According to IACS lead is only 7% as conductive as copper.  

At 20 °C temperature and 1 bar pressure, the value of electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of some common metals are given below.

MetalsElectrical Resistivity (nΩ⋅m)Thermal Conductivity (Wm-1⋅K-1)
Silver (Ag)15.9427
Copper16.8398
Gold (Au)24.4315
Aluminum (Al)26.4237
Zinc (Zn)59116
Lead (Pb)22035.3

As you can see, lead has a very high resistivity and low thermal conductivity compared to other metals. Hence, lead is a poor conductor of electricity and heat.

Is lead a Poor Conductor

Yes, lead is a poor conductor of both heat and electricity. Being a heavy and dense metal, lead shows weaker metallic characters. Lead has the highest atomic number (82) of any stable element. In spite of being a metal, lead has a higher resistivity. 

The electron configuration of lead is [Xe]4f145d106s26p2. As it is located on the far right and bottom of the periodic table among all metals, it has high ionization energy. Therefore, it requires lots of energy to remove the two 6p electrons from its outer shell which is very unusual. Other metals don’t require this much energy.

Pure lead can conduct little electricity; however, lead oxides do not flow electricity at all. Lead forms oxide compounds instantly if exposed to the atmosphere. Therefore, it is usually considered a bad conductive. But, as it has a low melting point (600.61 K​), it is used in soldering along with tin. 

Metals% Conductivity(Relative to Copper)
Silver105
Copper100
Gold70
Aluminum61
Zinc27
Nickel22
Lead7

This table shows that lead is much less conductive compared to other metals. Therefore, lead is a poor conductor.

Is Lead Toxic?

Lead is a highly toxic and poisonous metal. It can cause severe damage to the human body and organs. If swallowed or inhaled, it can even cause death. Lead can cause kidney failure, anemia, miscarriage, etc. Lead is a neurotoxin; it damages nerve tissues. Therefore, the use of lead should be reduced.  

Conclusion

Lead is a heavy, malleable, and soft metal. Pure lead is both a conductor of heat and electricity. However, compared to other metals, lead has a high resistivity and low thermal conductivity. Therefore, lead is considered to be a poor conductor. 

Filed Under: Conductivity

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

More To See

Digital clock running fast

Digital Clock Running Fast

Failed to Read from DHT Sensor

Failed to Read from DHT Sensor | Troubleshooting Steps and Potential Causes

ESP8266 Not Responding To At Commands

ESP8266 Not Responding To At Commands

Arduino Nano Programmer Is Not Responding

Arduino Nano Programmer Is Not Responding | Troubleshooting Tips and Solutions

More About

  • Arduino
  • Basics
  • Circuitry
  • Communication
  • Components
  • Conductivity
  • Digital
  • How To
  • MicroController
  • Oscilloscope
  • PIC
  • Project
  • Simulation
  • Using 555 Timer
  • Using Op-Amp
  • Wiring

Footer

QUICK LINKS

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact
  • Arduino
  • Basics
  • Circuitry
  • Communication
  • Components
  • Conductivity
  • Digital
  • How To
  • MicroController
  • Oscilloscope
  • PIC
  • Project
  • Simulation
  • Using 555 Timer
  • Using Op-Amp
  • Wiring

AFFILIATE DISCLOSER

Circuits Gallery is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca etc) and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program

© 2023 · Circuits Gallery | All Rights Reserved