Objective: Measure conduction of heat in metal bars
Conduction of heat involves heat being transferred from a hotter part of an object to a colder area by means of the interaction between neighbouring atoms or molecules, although the atoms themselves remain in place. In a cylindrical metal bar with ends maintained at different temperatures, a temperature gradient will emerge along the bar after a while. The temperature decreases uniformly from the warm end to the cold end and a constant flow of heat arises through the bar. The way the situation changes from a dynamic state to a steady state is observed by means of repeated measurements to determine the temperatures at various measurement points. The metal bars are electrically heated so that the flow of heat in the steady state can be determined from the electrical power supplied.