Experiment 3 (Heat transfer through solid materials)

How does heat travel along an iron bar?

• A piece of iron bar
• A piece of wood
• Wax or a candle
• A source of heat (stove, candle, etc.)
• Matches

Heat will move through the iron bar and melt the wax.

1. Place the iron bar on the piece of wood.
2. Put wax or a candle on one end of the iron bar.
3. Apply heat to the other end of the iron bar. Observe what happens to the wax or candle. (See diagram below.)

Heat transfer through a piece of iron rod

Heat travelled from the heat source through the iron bar, causing the wax or candle to melt.

This experiment shows that heat moves through solid materials like iron by a process called conduction.