Are a substance's electrical and heat conductivity related?

In summary, the conductivity of an object to electricity and heat is closely related in solids, but more complicated in liquids. This is because thermal conduction involves both electrons and atoms, while electrical conduction only involves electrons. While most good electrical conductors also have good heat conductivity, there are some exceptions, such as diamond. Wikipedia has a list of materials with high thermal conductivity but low electrical conductivity.
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For example can an object be very conductive to electricity but be a very poor conductor of heat and vise-versa, or is a good conductor of one always a good conductor of the other and a bad conductor of one always a bad conductor of both?
If they are related, then how and why are they connected?
If they are not related, then what differences allow the two properties to be independent of one another?
 
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In solids, they are closely related. In liquids it is more complicated.

Thermal conduction happens both via electrons and atoms, while electrical conduction is limited to electrons. Every good electrical conductor will also conduct heat, but there are some electrical insulators that still have a good thermal conductivity, like diamond.
As usual, Wikipedia has a list.
 

FAQ: Are a substance's electrical and heat conductivity related?

1. What is electrical conductivity?

Electrical conductivity is the measure of a substance's ability to conduct an electric current. It is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity and is measured in siemens per meter (S/m).

2. What is heat conductivity?

Heat conductivity, also known as thermal conductivity, is the measure of a substance's ability to conduct heat. It is the rate at which heat energy is transferred through a material and is measured in watts per meter-kelvin (W/m·K).

3. How are electrical and heat conductivity related?

Electrical and heat conductivity are related in that they both measure a substance's ability to conduct energy. In general, substances with high electrical conductivity also have high heat conductivity, but the two are not always directly proportional.

4. Which factors affect a substance's electrical and heat conductivity?

The electrical and heat conductivity of a substance can be affected by its chemical composition, structure, temperature, and impurities. For example, metals generally have high electrical and heat conductivity due to their free electrons, while insulators have low conductivity due to their tightly bound electrons.

5. How are electrical and heat conductivity measured?

Electrical conductivity is usually measured by passing an electric current through a substance and measuring the resistance. Heat conductivity is measured by applying a temperature difference across a substance and measuring the resulting heat flow. Both can be measured using specialized instruments such as conductivity meters and thermal conductivity probes.

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