The science of thermal conductivity has led to better safety and efficiency in everything from household goods to spacecraft. Knowing which materials make good heat conductors and which are insulators is essential to making practically anything useful.

Description

Heat causes the molecules in materials to vibrate randomly. As the molecules move around, they bump into their neighbors, setting them into motion. Heat spreads through a material this way. The faster it spreads, the higher its thermal conductivity.

Conductors and Insulators

Metals, known as heat conductors, generally possess high thermal conductivity. Vacuums, gases, plastics, and other non-metals have low conductivity and are called insulators.

Cooking

A good cooking pan will be made of thermally-conductive metals such as copper and aluminum. These heat up quickly and evenly. The handle, however, should be made of materials that don't conduct heat, so your hands don't get burned.

Safety

A car's brakes get hot under heavy use. If they get too hot, braking power suffers, and the car can't slow down. Brakes made of materials with high thermal conductivity cool down more quickly.

Energy Efficiency

To keep a house from getting too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, builders put heat-insulating materials into its walls and roof. The air conditioner and furnace don't have to work as hard if heat enters and leaves a house slowly.

Source:

Hyperphysics: Thermal Conductivity of Materials

Fourproducts: Fade Stop Brake Cooler