Heat Conducting Materials 3rd grade
That’s hot! Many things give off heat. Heat is sometimes very hot! All heat is energy. fire Sun electricity
Campfire! Pretend you are at a campfire. You are roasting a hot dog on a metal wire coat hanger. Slowly the end of the hanger warms up, as it takes in the heat from the fire.
Why does this happen? Ouch! If you leave the hanger in the fire for a long time, the whole hanger will become to hot to touch! Why does this happen?
Here’s the reason…. This happens even though the handle end was never placed into the flames. Heat moves from the flames to the metal handle. From there it moves to all the molecules in the hanger by conduction until it reached your fingers.
Heat on the move! Heat can move from one object to another, or from one molecule to another through the process of conduction.
What is a molecule? A molecule is like a tiny building block that makes up everything around us. We can’t see them with our eyes.
Hot All Over! As one molecule is heated it begins to move quickly. When it does it passes some of its heat energy to other molecules around it. When this happens, all the molecules of an object move heat from one to another, until they are all hot.
What things get hot fast? Some materials (objects) get warmer faster than others. Metal is a good conductor because it takes heat in quickly. Copper becomes hot quickly, so it is a conductor. Copper pots
You’re no good! Other things like wood, plastics, and cotton are not good conductors of heat energy. These are called insulators.
Color conductors! Some colors are good conductors of heat! Black, navy blue, and other dark colors take in heat quickly.
It’s getting hot in here! Have you ever noticed how quickly you get hot when you are wearing a black t-shirt on a summer day?
Cool colors?! Wearing white or light colored clothing outside helps you stay cool on hot days!
Would a white car or black car on a summer day be hotter? HONK! HONK! BEEP! BEEP! Would a white car or black car on a summer day be hotter? Which do you think would be hotter to touch?
Did you choose… black? If you did, you are right!
On a hot day, which side of the shirt would keep you cool? Which would you choose? On a hot day, which side of the shirt would keep you cool?
If you chose….. white you are right!
Heat moves through objects. This is called conduction! Remember…. Heat moves through objects. This is called conduction!
Conductors Some things hold heat in faster than others. Metal and copper are conductors.
Insulators Plastic, wood, and cotton are insulators! They do not let heat in quickly! These things are insulators.
Stay cool dude! The color black takes in heat faster than cooler colors like white! On a hot day, wear a white shirt and chill out!