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Difficulty: EasyHeat Transfer: Conduction

A technician is evaluating how quickly different materials transfer heat through direct physical contact. Arrange the following materials in order from the FASTEST rate of heat transfer (best thermal conductor) to the SLOWEST rate of heat transfer (best thermal insulator).

  1. 1Copper pipe
  2. 2Carbon steel plate
  3. 3Solid wood plank
  4. 4Fiberglass batting

Answer

The correct order from fastest to slowest heat transfer is: Copper pipe, Carbon steel plate, Solid wood plank, and Fiberglass batting.
Metals transfer thermal energy via free electrons, making them the fastest. Among metals, copper outperforms steel. Non-metals transfer energy through slower lattice vibrations. Between the non-metals, solid wood transfers heat faster than fiberglass, because fiberglass utilizes trapped air pockets to specifically inhibit thermal flow.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Separate the materials into metals and non-metals.
Metals (Copper, Carbon steel) transfer heat faster than non-metals (Wood, Fiberglass).
Metals contain free electrons that rapidly carry thermal energy from a hot region to a cold region.
2
Compare the thermal properties of the two metals.
Copper is placed before Carbon steel.
Copper is known as one of the best accessible metallic thermal conductors, transferring heat much faster than iron or steel alloys.
3
Compare the thermal properties of the two non-metals.
Solid wood is placed before Fiberglass.
While wood transfers heat slowly, fiberglass is explicitly manufactured to trap air and prevent thermal transfer, making it the slowest.

Key Concept

Thermal Conductivity of Materials
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Heat Transfer: Conduction

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