Is a good electric conductor a good thermal conductor?

Reply to Thread

Discussion in 'Physics' started by impaJah, Sep 29, 2012.

Reply to Thread
  1. Sep 29, 2012 #1
    impaJah

    Thread Starter New Member

    Aug 2, 2012
    18
    0
    My instincts tell me these two are related. I know that what determines a good electrical conductor is the number of valence electrons its atoms have. The atomic structures that make for good thermal conductors... I'm not sure. Is it the same?

    Metals heat up quick and retain their heat... glass and plastic, not as much. So is there a relation between these two or is it just a rule of thumb?

    Thanks
     
    #1 Reply
  2. Sep 29, 2012 #2
    WBahn

    Moderator

    Mar 31, 2012
    22,857
    6,821
    My understanding is that, yes, in general, good electrical conductors are good thermal conductors while good electrical insulators are good thermal insulators. But there are definitely exceptions. For instance, diamond is a very good electrical insulator but an excellent thermal conductor.
     
    #2 Reply
  3. Sep 30, 2012 #3
    Wendy

    Moderator

    Mar 24, 2008
    21,305
    2,911
    Larry Niven once wrote a story where where a room temperature superconductor was also a thermal superconductor. I don't know if this will ever come to pass, but it is possible.

    Recently there has been as yet unconfirmed evidence that a room temperature superconductor may have been discovered. If this is true it is big. Very big.

    http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?p=526825#post526825
     
    #3 Reply
  4. Sep 30, 2012 #4
    impaJah

    Thread Starter New Member

    Aug 2, 2012
    18
    0
    Great info guys, and very interesting!

    Are there any forum members out there who know how the atomic structure of different materials might wrap all these observations together?
     
    #4 Reply
  5. Sep 30, 2012 #5
    KJ6EAD

    Senior Member

    Apr 30, 2011
    1,558
    435
    #5 Reply
Loading...
Related Forum Posts:
  1. jrv9090

    Electric field in a current carrying conductor

    Posted by jrv9090 in forum: Physics
    Replies:
    7
    Views:
    10,268
  2. gdylp2004

    Good heat but poor electrical conductor

    Posted by gdylp2004 in forum: The Projects Forum
    Replies:
    27
    Views:
    8,794
  3. victorment

    Is diesel fuel a conductor?

    Posted by victorment in forum: General Electronics Chat
    Replies:
    14
    Views:
    11,491
  4. supriyayerra

    Is earth a conductor or insulator

    Posted by supriyayerra in forum: Physics
    Replies:
    15
    Views:
    31,442
  5. Wizzard_268

    electric field inside a conductor

    Posted by Wizzard_268 in forum: Physics
    Replies:
    5
    Views:
    18,421
You May Also Like:

  1. Silicon-Based Material Could Provide More Attainable Concept for Self-Healing Electronics

  2. Safer Lithium Ion Batteries, Featuring Nanodiamonds

  3. What Does Renesas’ Intersil Deal Mean for the Evolution of MCUs?


Load More Articles