Electrical conductance converter for accurate electrical conductance unit conversions
This electrical conductance converter tool helps you perform accurate electrical conductance conversions between 34 units:
Common electrical conductance units explained
Learn more about these commonly used electrical conductance units:
All possible electrical conductance conversions
Below, we provide an overview of all the electrical conductance conversions available on this website to help you navigate and utilize our resources efficiently.
What is electrical conductance?
Electrical conductance is a measure of how easily electric current flows through a component or circuit element. Electrical conductance quantifies the ease of charge flow and is the reciprocal of electrical resistance, making it a practical property for analyzing circuits, sensors, and materials.
Common Units of Conductance
The SI unit of electrical conductance is the siemens (S). Practical values often use metric prefixes such as millisiemens (mS) and microsiemens (μS). For material-level properties, conductivity uses siemens per meter (S/m).
| Unit | Symbol | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kilosiemens | kS | One thousand siemens |
| Siemens (base unit) | S | SI unit of electrical conductance |
| Millisiemens | mS | One thousandth of a siemens |
| Microsiemens | μS | One millionth of a siemens |
| Nanosiemens | nS | One billionth of a siemens |
Conductance vs. Related Concepts
Conductance is the reciprocal of resistance (G = 1/R) and applies to whole components or connections. Conductivity (measured in S/m) is a material property giving conductance per unit geometry. In AC circuits, conductance is the real part of admittance; the imaginary part describes reactive effects.
Practical Applications and Use Cases
Electrical conductance is used to evaluate circuit paths, contact quality, sensor behavior, and fluid or material testing. Engineers rely on conductance when designing low-resistance connections, assessing corrosion effects, or calibrating conductivity sensors for liquids.
- Testing connectors, switches, and PCB traces
- Designing low-loss power distribution and grounding systems
- Characterizing materials and thin films with four-point probes
- Monitoring solution conductivity in water treatment and chemistry
Measuring Electrical Conductance
Conductance can be measured directly with LCR meters and conductance meters or computed as the reciprocal of resistance measured by multimeters. For materials, four-point probe systems and impedance analyzers deliver accurate conductance or conductivity data while minimizing contact resistance effects.
FAQs about Electrical Conductance
How is conductance used in AC circuit analysis?
In AC analysis conductance is the real component of admittance; it represents energy dissipation, while susceptance (the imaginary part) represents energy storage. Together they determine the circuit's response to sinusoidal signals.
Can conductance be negative in any situation?
Basic passive conductance is nonnegative. Apparent negative conductance can occur in active circuits that exhibit negative differential resistance, but that behavior involves active elements and is not a standard SI conductance value.
What role does contact resistance play when measuring conductance?
Contact resistance can significantly reduce measured conductance. Four-point probe techniques or Kelvin (4-wire) measurements remove contact error to yield the true conductance of the sample or connection.
How do geometry and size affect measured conductance?
For a given material, larger cross-sectional area and shorter length increase conductance. That is why conductivity (S/m) is used to compare materials independently of size, while conductance depends on the specific geometry.
When should engineers prefer conductance over resistance in reports?
Engineers prefer conductance when summing parallel paths or describing how readily current will flow (since conductances add in parallel). Resistance is more common for series analysis; choose the form that simplifies the calculation and communication.