Thermal Conduction in Materials
10th Grade · Physics · 40 min· Explain Why Some Materials Conduct And Others Do Not
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Learning Objective
I can explain why some materials are good thermal conductors and others are not.
- 1
In solids, heat is transferred by conduction, in fluids it is transferred by convection, and through empty space it is transferred by radiation.
- 2
Thermal conductivity determines how well objects transfer energy by conduction; metals have high thermal conductivity, while plastics and fluids have low thermal conductivity.
- 3
In convection, warmer, less dense fluid rises, while cooler, more dense fluid sinks, creating a convection current.
