Conduction

Conduction, in Physics, means the transfer of heat or electricity from one point to another at lower temperature or potential, by means of an intervening material medium whose particles do not alter their relative positions in effecting the transfer. Different materials have different powers of conduction. Metals are, as a rule, good conductors of both heat and electricity, silver and copper ranking first and second in their conductivity. The opposite quality of a material, to resist the passage of the current, is termed resistance (q.v.). It is possessed in a high degree by insulators (q.v.), though no perfect insulator exists. But much better insulation is possible for electricity than for heat.