Free Electron Diffusion

Conduction is the transfer thermal energy without any flow of the material medium. Conduction of heat through solid and liquid are molecular vibration and free electron diffusion. Conduction occurs in all solid, liquid and gas. However, as compared to solid, liquid and gas are poor conductor of heat. Lets find out more about free electron diffusion in solid during heating... ... 

Free Electron Diffusion during Heating

When a solid is heated at one end, heat is transfer to the cold end by molecular vibration for both metals and non-metals. However, this is relatively slow as compared to heat transfer by free electron diffusion. 

When a metal is heated, free electrons in the metal move faster resulting in more kinetic energy. These fast-moving, energy carrying electrons diffuse or spread into the cooler end of the object by colliding with them. Heat is transferred.   

The heat transfer by free electron diffusion occurs for both metals and non-metals although metal tenses to heat up faster than non-metals. 

Why metals heat up faster than non-metals ? 

Metals contain more free electrons which are able to move randomly between molecules than non-metals. This explains why the rate of heat transfer is faster in metals than in non-metals.

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