Important of thermal conductivity and its explanation

As conduction is different in different solids so that to identify the different solids with respect to conduction, the concept found is thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity is nothing but ability to conduct heat in solids. For example, silver has the highest thermal conductivity, next comes copper. Liquids except mercury, are the poor conductors than solids, while gases are much poorer than liquids.

In order to understand the property of thermal conduction of a solid, we have to find the coefficient of thermal conductivity for that particular solid









Here the coefficient of thermal conductivity K depends upon the nature of the material of the slab, and it is defined as the amount of heat conducted through the material of unit length per second through unit area of cross section, per unit temperature difference.