Thermal conductivity

Thermal conductivity measures how readily heat flows through a material under a temperature gradient. It links heat flux to the gradient and depends on the material and, often, temperature and direction.

Fourier's law: A constitutive law relating heat flux to the negative temperature gradient through thermal conductivity. It gives the macroscopic relation that defines conductivity in ordinary heat conduction.
Heat flux: The rate of heat transfer through a unit area, commonly expressed perpendicularly to that area. Conductivity relates this transported heat to the local temperature gradient.
Thermal insulation: Materials and methods that reduce heat transfer between regions at different temperatures. Insulators are selected for low conductivity to suppress unwanted heat loss or gain.
Thermal resistance: A measure of opposition to heat flow across a component or assembly. Resistance describes a whole geometry, while conductivity is an intrinsic material property.
Diamond: A crystalline form of carbon in which each atom bonds tetrahedrally to four others. Its stiff, well-ordered lattice gives many diamond grades exceptionally high thermal conductivity.
Phonon: A quantized collective vibration of atoms in a solid lattice. In insulating crystals, phonons carry much of the heat measured by conductivity.
Temperature gradient: The spatial rate and direction of change in temperature. It is the driving field in Fourier conduction.
Heat sink: A component that absorbs and disperses heat from a hotter device or system. High-conductivity materials spread heat from electronic components toward cooling surfaces.
Electrical conductivity: A measure of how readily electric charge moves through a material under an electric field. It is a distinct transport property, though both forms of conduction share carriers in metals.
Copper: A ductile metallic element with high electrical and thermal conductivity. It is a familiar benchmark for heat-spreading components and conductors.

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