THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF METALS UNDER 



PRESSURE. 



By p. W, Bridgman. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 573 



Experimental Methods 575 



General Character of the Results 582 



Detailed Data 585 



Indium 585 Nickel 605 



Tin 587 Cobalt 607 



Thallium 588 Iron 609 



Cadmium 591 Palladium 611 



Lead 593 Platinum 613 



Zinc 595 Molybdenum 615 



Magnesium 596 Tantalum 617 



Aluminum 597 Tungsten 619 



Silver 599 Antimony 621 



Gold 601 Tellurium 623 



Copper 603 Bismuth 624 



General Survey of Results 629 



Bearing of the Results on the Question of the Metastability of the Metals 635 



Theoretical Bearings 637 



Summary 646 



Introduction. 



In this paper the effect of pressure combined with temperature 

 on the electrical resistance of 22 metals is investigated. The list 

 of metals includes nearly all that are sufficiently permanent in the 

 atmosphere and can be made into wire. The pressure range is 

 from atmospheric pressure to 12000 kg. per cm.^ and the tempera- 

 ture range from 0° to 100°. 



The subject is one of considerable importance for the electron 

 theory of metals. Previous discussion has been concerned mostly 

 with explaining the effect of temperature on resistance, and very 

 little with the effect of pressure. There seems to be no reason 

 for this except the lack of experunental material; the pressure effect 

 is certainly as significant as the temperature effect, and a study 



