- Metals are good conductors because of their free electrons.
- Metals conduct so well because the electrons are free to move inside the metal.
- At the hot end the electrons move faster and collide with other free electrons, transferring energy. These other electrons then pass on their extra energy to other electrons.
- Because the electrons can move freely, this is obviously a much faster way of transferring the energy though the metal than slowly passing it between jostling neighbouring atoms.
- This is why heat energy travels so fast through metals.