Re: [tlug] IBM R30 Laptop Issues

["Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon" <ronfaxon@example.com>]

Josh Glover wrote:

> On 11/25/05, Josh Glover <jmglov@example.com> wrote:
>  
>
> > Specifically, metal that is not aluminum, which does not conduct so well.
> >    
>
> With foot securely in mouth, I now present some data which will prove
> beyond a reasonable doubt that I am an idiot.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum#Household_wiring
> http://hypertextbook.com/physics/electricity/resistance/
>
> To wit: aluminum is the third- or forth-best conductor of electricity
> of all the metals (there seems to be some confusion over whether gold
> is a better conductor; several resources say that it is, others say
> that it ain't).

Back when I studied electronics in high school in 1977, we were told 
that gold was the best conductor (don't they use gold for parts of IC 
chips, etc?).  Anyway - about aluminum.  The thing that occurred to me 
is that while I know it's a good conductor, I seem to remember something 
about it easily oxidizing and the coating of oxidation can in fact make 
it a bad conductor (by surface contact, not internally), so you may have 
been on the right track after all....

Lyle