Conduction — Describe

Describe an experiment to compare good and bad thermal conductors.

Identical rods of different materials (e.g. copper, aluminium, glass, wood) are set up with one end touching a common heat source, such as boiling water or a Bunsen flame. Small pieces of wax, or drawing pins stuck on with wax, are attached at equal distances along each rod. The rod along which the wax melts fastest (heat travels through most quickly) is the best thermal conductor; the rod along which the wax melts slowest, or not at all, is the best thermal insulator. This shows metals conduct heat well while materials like glass and wood conduct poorly.