Conduction Concept

Demonstrations in Conduction

Eight metal rods of different metals radiating from a central hub, with steel balls waxed onto the tips, mounted on a ring stand with a Bernzomatic propane torch heating the hub from below
Safety

Conduction Rods

Different metal rods radiate from a central hub heated by a propane torch. Wax-mounted steel balls on the rod tips fall off in order of decreasing thermal conductivity, giving students …
Steam manifold with two horizontal tubes extending to either side, a boiling flask on a hot plate, beaker for condensate, and a rack for collecting fallen steel balls
Safety

Heat Pipes

Compares heat transfer in a heat pipe versus a solid copper tube by racing wax-attached steel balls. Students see that phase-change heat transport (evaporation/condensation cycle) vastly outperforms solid-state conduction, even …
Composite bar with aluminum tube on left and wood dowel on right, wrapped in white paper that shows scorch marks only on the wood side
Safety

Wood and Aluminum Bar

Wrap paper around a composite aluminum-and-wood bar and pass it through a torch flame. The paper over aluminum is unscorched; the paper over wood burns. Students see that high thermal …