Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: The Scientist on 28/01/2011 14:27:00

Title: What is the difference between poor conductor of heat and insulator of heat?
Post by: The Scientist on 28/01/2011 14:27:00

Do they mean the same thing? Or are there any difference? Please share you answers! Thanks!

Title: What is the difference between poor conductor of heat and insulator of heat?
Post by: CZARCAR on 28/01/2011 15:08:59

same diff?

Title: What is the difference between poor conductor of heat and insulator of heat?
Post by: CliffordK on 28/01/2011 18:11:04

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F6%2F69%2FAerogelflower_filtered.jpg%2F220px-Aerogelflower_filtered.jpg&hash=f759e3a95f54dc44d019b80d7b8b9ce6)

The concepts are similar, but slightly different.  In general you could use either one to rank materials, although insulation might be a combination of conduction + convection.

Steel might be considered a poor heat conductor (as well as a poor electrical conductor).  However, it would not make a good heat or electrical insulator. 

That is only because steel is a poor heat/electrical conductor relative to other materials such as aluminium and copper.

Most thermal insulators use either air (or other gas), or a vacuum trapped in some kind of a system to limit convection.

In fact, Fiberglass is only a moderate insulator.  Fiberglass + air is a good insulator.  Rock would be a relatively poor insulator.  Rock Wool is a good insulator. 

And the photo above is silica (or Sodium Silicate) which might not be considered as a good insulator, except when in a very fine matrix (aerogel).