2006-11-22 10:56:16 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
When you say "conductors" are you talking about electrical conductors or thermal conductors?
If you are talking about electrical conductors, every conductive material has resistance. Resistance causes the voltage to drop when current passes through. The product of the two (voltage * current = wattage) is dissipated as heat.
Amount of heat rise is often the reason for the maximum allowable current for the wire. (the other is the voltage drop itself)
2006-11-22 11:12:31 · answer #1 · answered by tkquestion 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Conductors as the name imply, for conduction.
If you are having electrical current conduct through a copper cable, you may imagine the cable itself is a big Resistor. Through the power loss of I^2R, is the heat loss.
As the fundamental of thermodynamic also call out that heat travel in 3 forms. Convection, Radiation and Conduction. Well, good conductor could be a good heat conductor, and it can spread the heat evenly within a short period of time, eg... copper, gold
In microscopic point of view, one can imagine that, once the heat (also in another word "energy") apply to any surface. The atom will tends to vibrate more and more as the heat increase. Vibration of atom causes the adjacent atom vibrated as well. And hence, you may feel the energy release as a heat in the other end of the metal.
2006-11-23 03:40:35 · answer #2 · answered by Mr. Logic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Conductors, like the OTHER conductor, do TRANSFERS.
They transfer heat from one location to another. The Heat Sink is an example of a conductor that transfers heat from a component to another place ( air or liquid ).
2006-11-22 19:03:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you mean the heat created by the load in the conductor then--
Amps squared multiplied by the resistance of the conductor all divide by Roe L
Where Greek Roe is the resistance and L the length.
Referred to as- (I) (amps) squared (I) (amps) losses
Basically the bigger the conductor the less heat lost to atmosphere.
2006-11-24 12:02:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A conductor is a media to transfer heat.
A good conductor is a media that able to transfer heat well.
a good heat conductor is also a good electrical conductor.
The opposite of conductor is isolator.
2006-11-23 03:35:46 · answer #5 · answered by Harry 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electricity makes heat, and conductors hold electricity well.
2006-11-22 19:04:32 · answer #6 · answered by Sarai 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
electrical conductors are usually good conductors of heat as well.
a wooden spoon in hot coffee won't get your fingers hot;
a metal spoon will
(meal conducts electricity; wood doesn't)
there ARE exceptions, but as a rule, it's pretty good
2006-11-23 03:36:50 · answer #7 · answered by atheistforthebirthofjesus 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋