What experiments show the effect of conduction?

Experiments that show the effect of conduction include the metal rod and wax experiment, and the spoon in hot water experiment.

The metal rod and wax experiment is a classic demonstration of conduction. In this experiment, a metal rod is heated at one end and small pieces of wax are attached along its length. As the rod heats up, the heat energy is conducted along the rod, causing the wax to melt. The wax closest to the heat source melts first, followed by the next piece, and so on. This shows that heat energy is transferred from the hot end to the cooler end of the rod through conduction.

Another simple experiment to demonstrate conduction is the spoon in hot water experiment. A metal spoon is placed in a cup of hot water with the handle sticking out. After a while, the handle of the spoon becomes warm, even though it is not directly in contact with the hot water. This is because the heat from the water is conducted up the metal spoon to the handle. This experiment clearly shows that heat can be transferred through a solid by conduction.

In both these experiments, it's important to note that the heat transfer occurs without any movement of the material itself. The atoms in the metal vibrate more rapidly as they absorb heat energy, and these vibrations are passed along the material, transferring the heat energy from the hot end to the cooler end. This is the process of conduction, and these experiments provide a clear, visual demonstration of this process.