Thermal conductivity

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/thermal-conductivity

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary heat transfer mechanisms?Lattice vibrations (phonons) and free electron movement
2. What is the units of measurement?Watts per meter-Kelvin (W/(m·K))
3. How do metals and non‑metals carry heat differently?In metals, free electrons move around and carry heat. In most non‑metals, heat travels mainly through tiny vibrations of the atoms called phonons.
4. Why do some materials keep us warm and others keep us cool?Materials that are good at keeping heat in, like aerogels or fiberglass, have low thermal conductivity and act as insulators. Materials that let heat flow easily, like copper or diamond, have high thermal conductivity and help keep things cool.

Thermal conductivity: A material property quantifying its ability to conduct heat via conduction.
Phonons: Quantized lattice vibrations that act as energy carriers in solids.
Seebeck effect: The conversion of temperature differences into electric voltage in thermoelectric materials.