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Question

Highest thermal conductivity is of _____

The correct answer is
Solid ice

Thermal Conductivity Comparison of Water States

Thermal conductivity is a measure of how effectively a material transfers heat. A higher value indicates better heat conduction.

Heat Transfer Properties: Ice, Water, and Steam

The thermal conductivity of water differs significantly across its common states:

  • Solid ice: Possesses a more ordered molecular structure and generally higher density than liquid water.
  • Liquid water: Molecules are less ordered than in ice.
  • Steam (gaseous water): Molecules are widely spaced, leading to low density and poor heat conduction.

Identifying Highest Thermal Conductivity

The trend for thermal conductivity is generally:

Solid > Liquid > Gas

Applying this to water:

Solid ice > Liquid water > Steam

Typical thermal conductivity values (units: Watts per meter Kelvin, W/m·K) illustrate this:

Solid ice: Approximately 2.2 W/m·K

Liquid water: Approximately 0.6 W/m·K

Steam: Approximately 0.025 W/m·K

Consequently, solid ice has the highest thermal conductivity among the options provided.

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Important Questions from Conduction

  1. In M - L - t - T system, the dimension of thermal diffusivity is -

  2. The transfer of heat through the molecules of matter in any body is called ________.

  3. Unit of thermal diffusivity is

  4. When heat is transferred from one particle of hot body to another by actual motion of the heated particles, it is referred to as heat transfer by:

  5. Which of the following is a case of steady state heat transfer?

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