Skin effect becomes more pronounced as the operating frequency increases. Is this statement accurate for practical conductors?

Introduction / Context:
Skin effect is the tendency of alternating current to concentrate near the surface of a conductor at higher frequencies. It is critical in RF, microwave, and high-speed digital design because it raises effective resistance and loss with frequency.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Good metallic conductors (e.g., copper) with finite conductivity.
• Frequency domain from kHz to GHz where classical skin effect applies.

Concept / Approach:

The skin depth δ is given by δ = sqrt(2 / (ω μ σ)), where ω is angular frequency, μ is permeability, and σ is conductivity. As frequency increases, δ decreases, crowding current toward the surface and increasing AC resistance.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Measured insertion loss of coaxial cables and PCB traces rises with frequency largely due to skin effect (and dielectric loss), confirming the theoretical trend.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• False: Contradicts the frequency dependence of δ.
• Conditions about superconductors/plasma frequency/1 MHz are not relevant in ordinary conductor contexts.

Common Pitfalls:

Confusing skin effect with proximity effect; assuming plating does not help (silver plating can reduce RF loss by lowering surface resistance).

Final Answer:

True