Conduction facts for kids
Conduction is a way that energy moves from one place to another. In physics, it usually means how heat or electricity travels through things.
Heat Conduction
Heat conduction happens when two objects touch each other. Heat energy then moves from the warmer object to the cooler one. Imagine you put a hot pan of soup on a table. The heat from the pan moves directly into the table where they touch. This makes that part of the table warm!
Heat always travels from a hot spot to a cold spot. This continues until both objects reach the same temperature. When their temperatures are equal, we say they have reached equilibrium.
Electrical Conduction
Electrical conduction is how electricity moves, usually through wires or cables. Materials that let electrons (tiny parts of atoms that carry electricity) move easily are called good electrical conductors. Most metals, like copper in wires, are excellent conductors.
On the other hand, materials that do not let electrons move easily are called insulators. Things like rubber and plastic are good insulators. This is why electrical wires often have a plastic coating – it keeps the electricity safely inside the wire.
It's interesting that some materials can conduct heat but not electricity. For example, glass gets hot if you put it in the sun, so it conducts heat. But it does not conduct electricity well at all.
How Else Does Energy Move?
Besides conduction, energy can also move in other ways. Two main ways are radiation and convection. Radiation is how heat travels through empty space, like sunlight warming the Earth. Convection is how heat moves through liquids or gases, like boiling water in a pot.
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