Science: Physics thermal energy transfer

Science: Physics thermal energy transfer

1. Conduction

   • Heat is a thermal energy
     • It can be tranfered from one place to another bu conduction
     • Heat energy is conducted from the hot end, of an object to the cold end
   • But non-metals and gases are usually poor conductors
     • Poor conductors are called insulators!
   • Conduction in metals
     • Metals are good conductors of heat.
     • The electrons in a piece of metal can leave their atoms and move about in the metal as free electrons
       • The parts of the metal atoms left behind are now positivley charged metal ions
         • The ions are closely packed together and they vibrate continually
           • The hotter the metal, the more kinetic energy these vibrations have