Question

Predict the behaviour of molecules during heat transfer in the process of conduction in
solids:
a. Heat transfers through the molecules of atmosphere
b. Heat transfers due to travelling of molecules
c. Heat transfers through the vibration caused in molecules
d. Heat is not transferred

Answer 1

A question like this is a particle-level question. To understand the answer, we have to think about matter as consisting of tiny particles atoms, molecules and ions. These particles are in constant motion; this gives them kinetic energy. As mentioned previously in this lesson, these particles move throughout the space of a container, colliding with each other and with the walls of their container. This is known as translational kinetic energy and is the main form of kinetic energy for gases and liquids. But these particles can also vibrate about a fixed position. This gives the particles vibrational kinetic energy and is the main form of kinetic energy for solids. To put it more simply, matter consists of little wigglers and little bangers. The wigglers are those particles vibrating about a fixed position. They possess vibrational kinetic energy. The bangers are those particles that move through the container with translational kinetic energy and collide with the container walls.

The container walls represent the perimeters of a sample of matter. Just as the perimeter of your property (as in real estate property) is the furthest extension of the property, so the perimeter of an object is the furthest extension of the particles within a sample of matter. At the perimeter, the little bangers are colliding with particles of another substance - the particles of the container or even the surrounding air. Even the wigglers that are fixed in a position along the perimeter are doing some banging. Being at the perimeter, their wiggling results in collisions with the particles that are next to them; these are the particles of the container or of the surrounding air.