Have you ever heard of heat conduction?

Heat conductors are those materials whose structure is such that heat can pass through them very easily. It must be remembered that all matter is made up of atoms and molecules in constant vibratory motion, and that heat translates into a greater agitation of said particles.

Some materials conduct heat better than others because their internal configuration facilitates this flow of energy. Wood, for example, is not a good conductor of heat because it takes a long time to heat up, while iron, copper and other metals are, which means that their particles acquire kinetic energy very quickly. That’s why metals are favored for making cookware, like pots and pans, they heat up quickly and reach temperatures high enough for food to cook properly.

Types of conductors

Depending on the way they conduct heat, materials are classified as follows:

Thermal conductors: diamond and metals such as copper, iron, zinc and aluminum, among others. Usually good conductors of electricity are also good conductors of heat.

Thermal insulators: wood, rubber, fiberglass, plastic, paper, wool, anime, cork, polymers are good examples. Gases are also not good conductors.

Do the following exercise together with me and let’s put heat conduction to the test.