Heat Conducting
Materials
3rd grade
SPI 0307.10.2 Classify materials
according to their ability to conduct
heat.
That’s hot!
• Many things give off heat.
• Heat is sometimes very hot!
• All heat is energy.
Sun
fire
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.
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!
HONK! HONK! BEEP! BEEP!
Which do you think would be
hotter to touch?
Did you choose…
black?
If you did, you are right!
Which would you choose?
On a hot day, which side
of the shirt would keep
you cool?
If you chose…..
white
you are right!
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!