Simple method for measuring thermal conductivity

Abstract

Abstract Heat transfer is a phenomenon well known from everyday life. It is intuitively connected to the properties of materials, that is, to the physics concept of thermal conductivity relevant for cooking or maintaining the constant temperature in rooms, even without being familiar to the underlying physics. However, measurement of thermal conductivity is usually demanding, but here we present a simple, quick, and almost hands-on method that yields quite accurate values for thermal conductivity of insulating and semi-insulating materials, appropriate for a classroom setting.