CONDUCTION

Presented By: Fatima Akhtar, Ibrahim, Hawah, and Haad

What is Conduction?
• Conduction is the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted
through the material of a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of
electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material.
• the process by which sound waves travel through a medium.
• the transmission of impulses along nerves.
• the conveying of fluid through a channel.
How does Conduction work?
• Conduction works when vibrating
molecules collide with their
neighboring molecules, making them
also vibrate faster. As these
molecules collide, thermal energy via
conduction to the rest of the pan.
Always note this in your brain that
metals, heat is transferred through
vibration of particles and free
electron diffusion.
Three types of Conduction
• There are three types of conduction and they are:
• Ionic Conduction: Ionic Conduction is defined as the movement of an ion from one ‘site’ to another.
Certain solids possess very ionic conductivity, which is useful in solid-state electronics such as computers
and mobile phones. It is also a useful process in both normal and rechargeable battery and fuel cells.
• Electrical Conduction: In metals, electrical conductivity can happen as a result of the movement of
electrically charged particles. The atoms of metal all valence metals – these are electrons that are found
in the outer shell of each atom, but they are ‘free’ to move throughout the structure.
• Thermal Conduction: Thermal conduction (sometimes also called heat conduction) occurs when rapidly
moving particles interact with their neighbouring particles, thus transferring a portion of their kinetic
energy. There are 4 main things which affect the rate at which heat is conducted:
• The temperature difference between the two regions
• The ‘length’ of the region
• The cross-sectional area of the region
• The material the process is taking place in
Picture of Ionic Conduction
Picture of Electrical Conduction
Picture of Thermal Conduction
TEST YOURSELF
• Q1: With reference to the particles in the medium, describe what happens during the conduction of thermal energy
in metals and non metals.
• Answer: In metals, conduction of heat is mainly due to the diffusion of free electrons from the hotter region to cooler
region, they collide with the particles in the cooler region and transfer their kinetic energies to them. Conduction of
heat also takes place through molecular vibrations, but this mode of conduction is relatively slow in non – metals,
conduction of heat only takes place through molecular vibrations. The kinetic energies of the vibrating molecules
act the hot end are transferred to the neighboring molecules.
• Q2: Why are good conductors of thermal energy also good conductors of electricity?
• Answer: Materials that are good conductors of heat (such as metals) have free electrons that are free to move
about. As conduction of electric current is the flow of electric charges, such as electrons, the free electrons in
metals also enable them to be good conductors of electricity.
• Q3: “Heat is transferred via conduction from a barbecue fire to a person standing near the barbecue pit.” Is this
statement true? Explain your answer.
• Answer: The statement is false. Since the person is only standing near the barbeque pit, and not touching it, air
separates the person from the pit. Air is a bad conductor of heat, and therefore conduction is not likely the mode of
heat transferred. The heat is most likely transferred via a different mode. (students will learn later that we feel the
hotness of the barbeque fire due to radiation of the heat.)
THANK YOU