UNIT-1 (BASICS)
Solids, on the other hand, have atoms/molecules which are more closely packed which cannot
move as freely as in gases. Hence, they cannot effectively transfer energy through these same
mechanisms. Instead, solids may exhibit energy through vibration or rotation of the nucleus. Hence,
the energy transfer is typically through lattice vibrations.
Another important mechanism in which materials maintain energy is by shifting electrons into
higher orbital rings. In the case of electrical conductors the electrons are weakly bonded to the
molecule and can drift from one molecule to another, transporting their energy in the process. Hence, flow of electrons, which is commonly observed in metals, is an effective transport
mechanism, resulting in a correlation that materials which are excellent electrical conductors are
usually excellent thermal conductors.
