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Hydrogen Compounds and Heat Conduction
Name: Zachary
Status: student
Grade: 6-8
Date: Spring 2012
Question:
Are items with hydrogen molecules poor conductors of heat? Why or why not?
Replies:
Hi Zachary,
I am mystified by what you mean by " items with hydrogen molecules"! Can you be more specific? What kind of "items" are you referring to that you think contain hydrogen molecules? Hydrogen molecules (that is, H2) exist as a gas at normal temperatures, and I am unaware of any "items" that contain molecules of H2 gas.
Perhaps you could re-submit your question with more detail.
Regards,
Bob Wilson
Hi Zachary, it is hard to understand what exactly you are asking because
the words you have chosen are unclear. The answer depends on what you
mean by "items", and what you mean by "with", and when you say a
hydrogen _molecule_, do you mean (diatomic) hydrogen gas, or just some
molecule that contains hydrogen? Oils are very good conductors of
heat, and they are hydrocarbons (they have a lot of hydrogen atoms in
their molecules). Hydrogen gas, on the other hand, like any gas, is a
poor conductor. So if your "item" is two sheets of metal with a thick
layer of hydrogen gas between them, well that would not be a good
conductor. The gas layer is a good insulator. If this isn't what you
were asking, please reply and clarify what you mean.
Hope this helps,
Burr Zimmerman
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Update: June 2012
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