Question

Which is a better heat conductor, diamond or silver?

Short answer

Answer: Diamond is a better heat conductor than silver.

Step-by-step solution

Identifying the thermal conductivities of diamond and silver

Look up the thermal conductivity values of diamond and silver. Thermal conductivity of diamond: 2300 W/(m·K) Thermal conductivity of silver: 429 W/(m·K)

Comparing the values

Compare the thermal conductivities of the two materials to determine which is a better heat conductor. 2300 W/(m·K) (diamond) > 429 W/(m·K) (silver)

Drawing the conclusion

Since the thermal conductivity of diamond is higher than that of silver, diamond is a better heat conductor than silver.

Key concepts

Heat Transfer

Heat transfer is the movement of thermal energy from one object or material to another, and it occurs through three fundamental ways: conduction, convection, and radiation.

Conduction is the heat transfer through solid materials when they come into contact, such as when a metal spoon heats up in a pot of hot soup. This process depends on the thermal conductivity of the material, a measure of how well a material allows heat to pass through it.

In the exercise, we look at diamond and silver, comparing their conductive abilities to see which one transfers heat more effectively. We learn that thermal conductivity not only varies from one material to another but also heavily influences how a material can be used in practical applications where thermal management is crucial, such as in electronics or thermal insulation.

Conductivity Comparison

When comparing the conductivity of different materials, it's important to have a standard measure. The thermal conductivity of a material is typically listed in watts per meter per kelvin (W/(m·K)), representing the amount of heat energy that can be transferred through a material of one-meter thickness when there's a temperature difference of one kelvin.

As evidenced in the given problem, diamond has a thermal conductivity of 2300 W/(m·K), much higher than that of silver, which is 429 W/(m·K). This means that in a conductivity comparison, diamond is superior in transferring heat compared to silver. Generally speaking, materials with higher thermal conductivity are chosen for tasks that require efficient heat dissipation.

Material Thermal Properties

The thermal properties of materials, such as thermal conductivity, are intrinsic to the material and are determined by its molecular or atomic structure.

For example, diamond has an atomic lattice structure that allows it to transfer heat very efficiently, thus possessing high thermal conductivity. On the other hand, despite being a good heat conductor, silver's lattice structure is not as optimal as diamond's for heat transfer, resulting in lower thermal conductivity.

Understanding the thermal properties of materials can help inform decisions in various industries, whether it's selecting the right metal for a heat exchanger or choosing a semiconductor material for electronic devices that require efficient heat dissipation to function properly.