resistivity

American  

[ree-zis-tiv-i-tee] / ˌri zɪsˈtɪv ɪ ti /

noun

1. the power or property of resistance.

2. Also called specific resistance.  Electricity. the resistance between opposite faces of a one-centimeter cube of a given material; ratio of electric intensity to cross-sectional area; reciprocal of conductivity.

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resistivity British  

/ ˌriːzɪsˈtɪvɪtɪ /

noun

1. Former name: specific resistance.   ρ.  the electrical property of a material that determines the resistance of a piece of given dimensions. It is equal to RA/l , where R is the resistance, A the cross-sectional area, and l the length, and is the reciprocal of conductivity. It is measured in ohms

2. the power or capacity to resist; resistance

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resistivity Scientific  

/ rē′zĭs-tĭv′ĭ-tē /

1. A measure of the potential electrical resistance of a conductive material. It is determined experimentally using the equation ρ = RA/l, where R is the measured resistance of some length of the material, A is its cross-sectional area (which must be uniform), and l is its length. It is measured in ohm-meters.

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Etymology

Origin of resistivity

First recorded in 1880–85; resistive + -ity

Example Sentences

Experts this week are expected to conduct soil resistivity testing, looking at how the soil around the towers absorbs and reacts to the flow of electric current.

From Los Angeles Times

Initial tests confirmed their theory that decoupled transport channels resulted in higher ion conductivity and lower resistivity compared to homogenous membranes made from the same materials.

From Science Daily

In 2021, she arranged for geographers and students from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va., to use ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography and other technologies to peer under the earth at Jungfernhof.

From New York Times

But electrical resistivity imaging of the beach and seafloor shows that both were ice-free to at least 65 feet.

From Washington Post

The groups used electrical resistivity tomography to look for any voids.

From Washington Times