Questions: How does conduction transport heat through a steel rod that is placed in a fire? A. Energy spreads from one end of the rod to the other through molecular collisions. B. Hot steel molecules move down the molecular matrix toward the cool end of the rod. C. Waves of electromagnetic energy travel down the steel rod from one end to the other. D. Higher velocities of warmer steel molecules cause them to travel from one end to the other.

Solution Steps

Conduction is a mode of heat transfer that occurs through direct contact. In solids, such as a steel rod, conduction happens when heat energy is transferred from the hotter part of the material to the cooler part through molecular collisions.

• Option A: This option describes energy spreading through molecular collisions, which is characteristic of conduction.
• Option B: This suggests that hot molecules physically move down the rod, which is not how conduction works. Molecules vibrate in place rather than moving along the rod.
• Option C: This describes electromagnetic waves, which is characteristic of radiation, not conduction.
• Option D: This suggests that molecules travel from one end to the other, which is not accurate for conduction in solids.

Based on the understanding of conduction, the correct description of how heat is transported through a steel rod is through molecular collisions, as described in Option A.

Final Answer