======Metal Rod Conduction======


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**Alternative titles:** Heat Transfer Along a Rod, Wax Melting Conduction
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Attach small pieces of wax at equal intervals along the length of a metal rod.  
  - Secure the rod horizontally so that it is stable and safe to heat.  
  - Heat one end of the rod using a Bunsen burner or candle flame.  
  - Observe how the wax nearest the heated end melts first, followed by wax pieces farther away.



====Links==== 
Heat transfer demo conduction through a metal wire - Janne Tamblyn Lee: 
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Conduction Experiment | Heat - ExperiHub: 
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====Variations====
  * Use rods made of different materials (copper, iron, aluminum) to compare conduction rates.  
  * Replace wax with small pins stuck into wax blobs; as the wax melts, the pins fall.  
  * Try rods of different thicknesses or lengths to see how this affects the rate of conduction.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Safety glasses required when using an open flame.  
  * Use heat-resistant gloves to handle the rod after heating.  
  * Ensure the rod is securely supported to prevent it from rolling or falling.  
  * Do not touch melted wax immediately, as it can cause burns.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does the wax closest to the heated end melt first? (Because heat travels by conduction from the hot end to the cooler end.)  
  * How does the melting sequence demonstrate the direction of heat transfer? (It shows that energy moves progressively along the rod.)  
  * Would a glass rod produce the same result? (No, glass is a poor conductor, so the wax would melt much more slowly, if at all.)  
  * How do free electrons in metals help explain why metals conduct heat well? (Free electrons transfer energy quickly by colliding with atoms, speeding up heat transfer.)