Good & Bad Conductors of Heat

Most metals are good conductors of heat; silver and copper are exceptionally good

. On the other hand, substances such as cork, wood, cotton and wool are bad conductors. Both good and bad conductors have their uses. The "bit" of a soldering iron made of copper, so that when its tip is cooled through contact with the work, heat rapidly conducted from the body of the bit to restore the temperature of the tip and maintain it above the melting-point of solder.

Bad conductors have a very wide application. Beginning with our own person comfort, we prevent loss of heat from ourselves by a covering of poorly conducting material. Textiles are bad conductors of heat, since they are full of tiny pockets of air enclosed by the fibers of the material. Air, in common with all gases, is a very bad conductor of heat. It is usual to say that wool is warmer than cotton. Technically, of course, we imply that it has a lower thermal conductivity than cotton. Double glazing in windows reduces heat loss from a building owing to the poorly conducting layer of air between the two sheets of glass.

A stone floor feels cold to the bare feet, but a carpet on the same floor feels warm. This difference arises from the fact that stone is a better conductor of heat than a carpet.

To begin with both the stone floor and the carpet are at the same temperature. This may be verified by placing a thermometer in contact with each in turn. Since the feet are warmer than either, heat tends to flow from the feet. Stone, being the better conductor, conveys heat away from the feet more rapidly than the carpet. Consequently, the feet feel cold on the stone but warm on the carpet.

Precisely the same effect is experienced when handling a garden fork in winter. The iron part of the fork feels cold, but the wooden handle warm.

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Good & Bad Conductors of Heat

By: Bilal M Mirza

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