thermal conductivity

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noun Physics.

the amount of heat per unit time per unit area that can be conducted through a plate of unit thickness of a given material, the faces of the plate differing by one unit of temperature.

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Words nearby thermal conductivity

thermal, thermal analysis, thermal barrier, thermal capacity, thermal conductance, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusion, thermal efficiency, thermal equator, thermal equilibrium, thermalgesia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use thermal conductivity in a sentence

Williams An Ohio- based corporation that works in the electrical and thermal insulation industry.
The 26 Next Hobby Lobbys|Abby Haglage|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Body parts, food, and appliances seen with a thermal imaging camera.
The Hot and Cold of Everyday Life (NSFW)|The Daily Beast Video|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Much of the surface of Mars is covered in fine sand and dust, both of which have low thermal inertia.
The Best Map of Mars Yet|Matthew R. Francis|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thermal maps of Earth reveal a lot about the past and present, including changing conditions under climate change.
The Best Map of Mars Yet|Matthew R. Francis|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

That measure is known as thermal inertia, and it provides information far beyond what we can get from visible light alone.
The Best Map of Mars Yet|Matthew R. Francis|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The difference in conductivity between pure water and sulphuric acid is such a fact, mentioned by Clausius.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
For the purpose of comparison the activity and the conductivity of molar hydrochloric acid are both represented by 100.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
The conductivity of a solution, like that of a metal conductor, is the reciprocal of its resistance.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
Thus, the current indicated by the ammeter is a closely approximate measure of the conductivity of the solution.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
As a matter of experience, the conductivity of a given quantity of an acid or other ionogen does tend toward a limit.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz

British Dictionary definitions for thermal conductivity

thermal conductivity

noun

a measure of the ability of a substance to conduct heat, determined by the rate of heat flow normally through an area in the substance divided by the area and by minus the component of the temperature gradient in the direction of flow: measured in watts per metre per kelvinSymbol: λ, k Sometimes shortened to: conductivity

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for thermal conductivity

thermal conductivity

A measure of the ability of a material to transfer heat. Given two surfaces on either side of the material with a temperature difference between them, the thermal conductivity is the heat energy transferred per unit time and per unit surface area, divided by the temperature difference. It is measured in watts per degree Kelvin.