Question

Which of the following is a bad conductor of heat?
${\text{A}}{\text{.}}$ Wood
${\text{B}}{\text{.}}$ Aluminium
${\text{C}}{\text{.}}$ Iron
${\text{D}}{\text{.}}$ Bronze

Answer 1

Hint: Here, we will proceed by discussing the good conductors of heat along with their examples. We will also write down the reason for metals to be good heat conductors. Then, we will discuss the bad conductors of heat along with their examples.

Complete step-by-step answer:
All metals are good heat conductors and they are different in conducting the heat, which means some metals conduct the heat faster than the others, the heat makes us warm and helps us cook our food and it's a fascinating source of energy.

Some materials allow heat to flow through them, and are known as good heat conductors like iron, aluminium, copper, silver, brass, lead and stainless steel.

The metals are stronger conductors because they have free electrons, and the electrons pass quickly through the metal. They absorb the kinetic energy from hot atom collisions and pass on the energy when colliding with cold atoms, which transfers the heat faster.

When conducting the heat, the different metals differ where copper conducts the heat faster than aluminium, and aluminium conducts the heat faster than iron.

Some materials do not allow the heat to flow through them, and they are known as bad heat conductors or heat insulators, the insulators are poor heat conductors, the poor conductors are good insulators and they are materials that the heat cannot move through.
Heat insulators like wood, glass, paper, cloth, rubber, oils, plastic, cork, vacuum, and particularly air gases.
Therefore, wood is a bad conductor of heat.

Hence, option A is correct.

Note: Building materials such as the bricks, asbestos, and mud are bad heat conductors, they do not allow heat and cold to move through the brick walls. Vehicles carrying flammable materials such as petrol are protected with materials made up of poor conductors of heat to avoid heating up and catching the fire by fuel.