Gold connectors

[madhat]

Ok so in Physics 2 today we were talking about resistors and conductors and what-not, well there is a chart in our book showing th conductivity of several substances, silver being the best, followed by copper and THEN gold...why do they use gold connectors(such as on A/V cables) if it has more resistance and less conductivity?

 

[TURBOV6]

Ok so in Physics 2 today we were talking about resistors and conductors and what-not, well there is a chart in our book showing th conductivity of several substances, silver being the best, followed by copper and THEN gold...why do they use gold connectors(such as on A/V cables) if it has more resistance and less conductivity?

Those gold ends are actually electorplated. On the A/V cables you mentioned they are actually nickel then electroplated. Those gold connectors give a better look expecially in retail packaging, they do not have any much better conductivity than a standard silver/chrome plated connector. I have seen silver end connector gold plated on higher end cables. The electroplating suppose to help the metal to not corrode and have less resistance because the surface is much cleaner and smoother but I think it's all cosmetics.

 

[madhat]

cool, jsut wondering

 

[DavzGN]

why do they use gold connectors(such as on A/V cables) if it has more resistance and less conductivity?

Probably because Gold doesn't oxidize like silver and copper do.