CONDUCTORS OF HEAT

AND ELECTRICITY
PAN
 Why electrical wires are made up of metals such as;

ALUMINUM and COPPER

Why are the metal wires wrapped in rubber or plastic?

Conductivity depends on

 Thickness – the thicker, the better the

conductor
 Size – the shorter the size, the better the
conductor
 Temperature – with increase in
temperature, electrons gain energy
causing better conductivity
Other ways of heat transfer include
convection and radiation.
Convection is
the transfer of heat from one place to another by the movement of
fluids. For example,
when a pot of water is heated, water begins to rise. As the water
rises, cold water
goes down. The process is repeated until all the water has the
same temperature.

Radiation is the transfer of heat through empty space. Example is

standing
before a stove, where your body feels the heat from it.
 When you are cooking the energy
transfer of heat from stove to the food
must occur effectively. However, it is
important that the handle does not get
uncomfortably hot.
 The metal pan is a conductor and the plastic or
wooden handle is an insulators. So the pan heats
up easily while the handle doesn't get too hot.
This is done on purpose so that we don’t get
bounced while cooking.
Most insulators are used as safety
devices to allow electric charges to
flow along the right path only.
Although electricity flows along a
metal path, it cannot pass through
insulators like rubber.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONDUCTOR
AND INSULATOR?
 To protect ourselves from electricity,
we can use insulators which acts as a
protecting layer as insulators do not
conduct electricity. Hence, both
conductors and insulators are equally
important in day to day life.