In this section, you will explore thermal conductivity. Using your knowledge of metal’s "sea of electrons," use your notes to write a prediction about the following scenario.
Now, watch the video below and see if your hypothesis is correct.
Source: Thermal conductivity of metals, Trackerchem, You Tube
Metals conduct heat well because of the sea of delocalized electrons. When you heat the metal, the atoms vibrate. Because the electrons are not bound to a certain atom, they can vibrate more freely, cause more repercussions, and travel, more quickly through the metal. The vibrations are passed from one atom to another very rapidly.
Click on the animation to see how metals conduct heat.
The electrons drift slowly through the structure as the metal is heated. As the metal heats up, the electrons move faster; they travel colliding with both atoms and other electrons. Thus, the heat is passed quickly through the metal.