Question

Which of the following is a good conductor of heat?
A) Steel
B) Glass
C) Wood
D) Rubber

Answer 1

Hint: Before discussing conductors, let’s brush up a bit about the process of conduction. Conduction is a mode of heat transfer in which the particles at a higher temperature, which are vibrating with higher frequency, collide with the particle of the substance which is at a lower temperature and is vibrating less rapidly. The collisions of the particle transfer the energy and thus heat is transferred as well.

Complete step by step solution:
Metals are generally considered good conductors of thermal or heat energy. This is because they have free electrons in their orbits that can vibrate and collide freely with the electrons of the other atoms and hence transfer and conduct thermal energy. Among the given options, steel is the only metal, hence it should naturally be a good conductor of heat.

But before marking it as the correct answer, we should take a look at the other options as well. Glass lacks an ordered crystal structure as well as free electrons and is hence a poor conductor of heat. Similar is the case with wood and rubber. These materials usually do not show a significant transfer of heat, and even if some conduction takes place, it is negligible enough to consider these materials as insulators.

Hence we can say that steel is a good conductor of heat or option (A) is the correct answer.

Note: Conduction is a term used for heat transfer as well as charge transfer. In thermal conduction, there is a transfer of kinetic energy of the vibrating molecule where electrical conduction is a process in which electrons or holes move from one terminal of the battery to the other and transfer charge. Although as a general rule, thermal conductors are considered as an electrical conductor, you need to know the difference, for example, a stone is considered a good conductor of heat but it is a poor conductor of electricity.