Lesson 3.1 - Heat Transfer: Conduction

You know that heat is lost from your hand to a cold piece of metal.  This form of heat transfer is known as conduction. 

Read Conduction on page 88 of your textbook.

Question 1. How is heat transferred by conduction between substances?

Question 2. Is physical contact between objects or substances required for heat to be transferred by conduction?

Check your answers with those that follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers to Questions:

Question 1. How is heat transferred by conduction between substances?

Heat is transferred by conduction in the following manner.  The hot object has fast-moving particles that have lots of kinetic energy.  The particles in a solid vibrate very quickly.  The particles in a liquid or a gas are free to move, and they move very quickly.  When the hot particles collide with the colder particles, kinetic energy is transferred from the hot particles to the cold particles.  This can happen between solids, liquids, and gases.  The main idea is that the particles have to be in contact (touching).

Question 2. Is physical contact between objects or substances required for heat to be transferred by conduction?

Yes, physical contact between objects or substances is required for heat to be transferred by conduction.


Go to the next page to learn about another form of heat transfer.