Answer to Question #95500 in Physics for Joy

Question

Consider lithium Metal under pressure such that its lattice constant changes from a=3.49*10^10 to a=3.40*10^10
although the structure does not change and assuming the electron mean time collision does not change either. Will it's electrical conductivity increase or decrease under such pressure? By how much? Lithium metal crystallizes in the BCC structure.

Answer 1

The lithium resistance increases with increasing pressure. An increase in the resistance of lithium to pressure is associated with the predominant effect of decreasing the effective number of free electrons. This occurs in connection with the restructuring of the energy levels of the matrix, and this suggests that the energy zones are almost completely occupied, which works in the direction of changing the effective number of free electrons. Therefore, the conductivity of lithium does not increase, but decreases with increasing pressure.