2040 – 06 – Understanding Thermal Conductivity

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Heat is generated when a metal is cut, but heat can also move through metal. The speed at which heat moves through metal is called thermal conductivity. It works almost like a game of telephone: when one part of a material heats up, its molecules begin vibrating, which causes its neighboring molecules to vibrate as well.

For example, when you stir hot soup with a metal spoon, heat from the soup travels up the spoon and you can feel it in your hand. Some materials have higher thermal conductivity than others: a silver spoon would get hot very quickly, while a plastic spoon would heat up more slowly. Most metals have higher thermal conductivity than both ceramics and plastics.