Answer to Question #125606 in Electricity and Magnetism for Yvi Sumalpong

Question

Why there should be a relationship between electrical conduction and heat conduction in materials.

Answer 1

There should be a relationship between heat and electrical conductivity mainly because of free electrons. Good electrical conductors also conduct heat well. However, the relationship mainly happens in metals. Both electrical and thermal conductivity are dependent on the number of electrons, the speed at which the electrons move and and the distance they can travel before scattering to a new direction.