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 Technicl Index

Conductivity and Resistivity

Conductivity measures the ability of a solution to conduct an electric current between two electrodes. In solution, the current flows by ion transport. Therefore, with an increasing amount of ions present in the liquid, the liquid will have a higher conductivity. If the number of ions in the liquid is very small, the solution will be "resistive" to current flow. AC current is used to prevent complete ion migration to the two electrodes.

Conductance = 1/Resistance

Conductivity: mho = Siemen
Normal unit of measurement is:
1 micromho (µmho) = 1 microSiemen (µS),
1 millimho (mmho) = 1 milliSiemens (mS) = 1,000 µS

 

Resistivity: ohm
Normal unit of measurement is:
megohm = 1,000,000 ohm


Example - Conductivity to Resistivity Conversion:
Conductivity:

= 20 µS
= 20 x 10-6 S
= 2 x 10-5 S
= 2 x 10-5 mho

Resistivity:
1 ohm/2 x 10-5

= 1/conductivity
= 1/2 x 10-5 ohm
= 0.5 x 10-5 ohm
= 5 x 10 4 ohm

Conductivity and Resistivity (NaCl and CaCO3 Solutions at 25°C)

ppm as CaCO3

ppm NaCl

Conductivity micromhos/cm

Resistivity megohm-cm

1700

2000

3860

0.00026

1275

1500

2930

0.00034

850

1000

1990

0.00050

425

500

1020

0.00099

170

200

415

0.0024

127.5

150

315

0.0032

85.0

100

210

0.0048

42.5

50

105

0.0095

17.0

20

42.7

0.023

12.7

15

32.1

0.031

8.5

10

21.4

0.047

4.25

5.0

10.8

0.093

1.70

2.0

4.35

0.23

1.27

1.5

3.28

0.30

0.85

1.00

2.21

0.45

0.42

0.50

1.18

0.88

0.17

0.20

0.49

2.05

0.13

0.15

0.38

2.65

.085

0.10

0.27

3.70

0.042

0.05

0.16

6.15

0.017

0.02

0.098

10.2

0.012

0.015

0.087

11.5

0.008

0.010

0.076

13.1

0.004

0.005

0.066

15.2

0.002

0.002

0.059

16.9

0.001

0.001

0.057

17.6

none

none

0.055

18.3

Probe Constants
Probe constant defines the volume between the electrodes. Solutions with an extremely high conductivity require a sensor with a probe constant greater than 1.0. Solutions with extremely low conductivity require a sensor with a probe constant less than 1.0. The greater the distance between the electrodes, the smaller the current signal.

Conductivity
(Micromhos/cm)

Resistivity
(Ohms-cm)

Dissolved Solids
(ppm)

.056

18,000,000

.0277

.084

12,000,000

0.417

.167

6,000,000

0.833

1.00

1,000,000

.500

2.50

400,000

1.25

20.0

50,000

10.0

200

5000

100

2000

500

1,000

20,000

50

10,000