Question

Lee watches a football game outside, and does not want to sit on the cold ground. Which property should she choose for the material she sits on?
A. High thermal conductivity

B. Low thermal conductivity

C. High electrical conductivity

D. Low electrical conductivity

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Low thermal conductivity

Explanation:

Thermal conductivity is the capability of a given material to conduct heat. It effectivly quantifies how easily that particular material enables heat transfer.

Remember that heat (thermic energy) always flows from a hotter body to a colder one. Whatever cold a body is, if we place a colder one in contact with it, heat will flow from the latter to the first one.

Materials with low thermal conductivity difficult the heat flow as they act as a resistance to that flow, basically because much more time and energy is required to heat them. In constrast, materials with high thermal conductivity ease the trasfer of heat, thus speeding the loss of heat from the hotter body to the colder one.

In our case, Lee is interested in reteining his own heat (preventing from getting cold), so sitting on a body made of a material with low thermal conductivity would be the best option to keep himself warm.