Abstract
Low-temperature electronic scattering mechanisms in simple metals are reviewed, with emphasis on the origin of anisotropy in the electron-phonon scattering rate and on the magnitude of the electron-electron scattering rate. The theory of the radio-frequency size effect is critically examined, its use as a tool for measuring scattering rates is discussed, and a detailed comparison is made of theoretical and experimental scattering rates in various simple metals, noble metals, and the few transition metals for which measurements exist (16 metals in all).