How do the particles in a material conduct heat?

Answer 1

For solid materials, heat transfer is generally carried out through a process known as conduction. This process works in the following way:

The atoms or molecules of an object can often be seen as a set of layers, which are stacked together. When a part of the object is exposed to an environment of a different temperature, it will try to reach thermal equilibrium (equal temperature) by losing or gaining heat from the adjacent environment. When this happens, the first layer of atoms or molecules lose or gain energy to or from the adjacent environment, but since they are in immediate contact with the following layer of particles, they will also try to reach thermal equilibrium with them, so they will either transfer energy to them or absorb it from them. However, since the second layer of particles is now at a different temperature from the following layer, it will repeat this process with the third layer. This will repeat itself until the entire object is in thermal equilibrium with the adjacent environment.

What allows this whole process to take place are the interactions between each particle with adjacent particles. This occurs because all of the objects particles are in constant motion, which allows them to "touch" or "hit" other particles, allowing them to transfer energy to them.

Answer 2

In a material, heat is conducted through the transfer of kinetic energy from one particle to another. As particles vibrate, they collide with neighboring particles, transferring energy and causing them to vibrate as well. This process continues throughout the material, resulting in the overall transfer of heat.