common applications of conduction

use of good conductors of heat

1. cooking utensils (e.g.kettles) usually made of aluminium or stainless steel where direct heating is involved.
2. soldering iron rods are made of iron with the tip made of copper .
3. heat exchangers

use of bad conductors of heat (insulators)

--insulators is to minimise loss of thermal energy , or prevent thermal energy from being transferred quickly.

1. handles of appliances and utensils -----made of poor conductors (e.g.wood,plastic)
2. table mats----made of cork so that hot kitchenware can be palced on them without damaging the table-top.
3. sawdust----used to cover ice blocks because of its good insulating property.
4. wooden ladles----stirring or scooping hot soup and scooping rice that has just been cooked.
5. wollen clothes----keep people warm on cold days.
6. fibreglass,felt and expanded polystyrene foam-----trap large amouts of air are employed as insulators in the walls of houses,ice boxes and refrigerators. Double-glazed windows have air trapped between two panes of glass,which reduce thermal energy transfer through the windows.