Conductivity to Resistivity Calculator
Convert electrical conductivity σ (S/m) to resistivity ρ (Ω·m) — they are always exact reciprocals: ρ = 1/σ. Enter conductivity once and get resistivity in Ω·m, Ω·cm, mΩ·m and μΩ·m simultaneously.
S/m
ρ = 1/σ in ohm-metres (Ω·m)
- 1
Resistivity ρ = 1 ÷ σ
1 ÷ 1 = 1 - 2
ρ in Ω·cm (× 100)
1 × 100 = 1001 Ω·m = 100 Ω·cm
How does this calculator work?
Resistivity ρ (Ω·m) = 1 ÷ conductivity σ (S/m) — exact reciprocals. Enter σ in S/m to instantly get ρ in Ω·m, Ω·cm, mΩ·m and μΩ·m. Copper (σ ≈ 5.96 × 10⁷ S/m) and insulators (σ ≈ 10⁻¹² S/m) illustrate the 25-order-of-magnitude span across materials.
Formula
How this is calculated
Electrical conductivity σ (sigma, in siemens per metre S/m) measures how easily a material allows current to flow. Electrical resistivity ρ (rho, in ohm-metres Ω·m) measures how strongly it opposes that flow. The two quantities are always exact mathematical reciprocals: ρ = 1/σ and σ = 1/ρ, so knowing either gives the other immediately.
For context: copper has σ ≈ 5.96 × 10⁷ S/m (ρ ≈ 1.68 × 10⁻⁸ Ω·m) — one of the best metallic conductors. Silicon (a semiconductor) sits at σ ≈ 1.56 × 10⁻³ S/m. Seawater is around 4–5 S/m. Good insulators like borosilicate glass reach σ ≈ 10⁻¹² S/m. Values span roughly 25 orders of magnitude across material classes, so scientific notation is common.
The calculator converts the result to several practical units: Ω·cm (semiconductor datasheets) = Ω·m × 100; mΩ·m and μΩ·m (metallurgy) = Ω·m × 10³ and × 10⁶ respectively; mS/m = S/m × 10³; S/cm = S/m ÷ 100. All conversions are exact — no empirical constants or temperature corrections are applied.
Frequently asked questions
They measure the same material property from opposite perspectives: conductivity is how well current flows, resistivity is how much it is opposed. Their product always equals 1 in SI units (σ × ρ = 1 (S/m)·(Ω·m) = 1), making them mathematical inverses.
Semiconductor datasheets typically quote resistivity in Ω·cm. To convert, multiply Ω·m by 100. For example, silicon at 300 K: ρ ≈ 640 Ω·m = 64 000 Ω·cm. Conductivity is often given in S/cm = S/m ÷ 100.
No. Both conductivity and resistivity change with temperature (metals get more resistive when hot; semiconductors become more conductive). This calculator performs the unit conversion ρ = 1/σ at whatever temperature your input was measured.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Conductivity to Resistivity Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/conductivity-to-resistivity-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Conductivity to Resistivity Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/conductivity-to-resistivity-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Conductivity to Resistivity Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/conductivity-to-resistivity-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_conductivity_to_resistivity_calculator, title = {Conductivity to Resistivity Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/conductivity-to-resistivity-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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