This key facts covers CONDUCTION — Heat Through Solids within Heat Transfer for GCSE Physics. Revise Heat Transfer in Energy for GCSE Physics with 14 exam-style questions and 11 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 2 of 17 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 2 of 17
Practice
14 questions
Recall
11 flashcards
🔥 CONDUCTION — Heat Through Solids
How it works:
- Particles at the hot end vibrate MORE
- They collide with neighbouring particles, passing on kinetic energy
- Energy transfers from particle to particle through the material
- Particles DON'T move position — just vibrate and pass energy along
Why metals are BEST conductors:
- Metals have free electrons (delocalised electrons)
- Free electrons can move through the metal structure
- They carry kinetic energy MUCH faster than vibrations alone
- This is why a metal spoon in hot tea heats up fast, but a wooden spoon doesn't
Insulators (poor conductors):
- No free electrons — rely only on particle vibrations
- Examples: wood, plastic, glass, air, wool
- Trapped air is an excellent insulator (used in double glazing, cavity walls, loft insulation)