Thermal conductivity the list of thermal conductivities. These should be considered approximate due to the uncertainties related to material definitions. High energy generation rates within electronics or turbines require the use of materials with high thermal conductivity such as copper "(see: Copper in heat exchangers)", aluminium, and silver. On the other hand, materials with low thermal conductance, such as polystyrene foam and fire brick, are used in building construction or in furnaces in an effort to slow the flow of heat, i.e. for insulation purposes. The reciprocal of thermal conductivity is "thermal resistivity", usually expressed in kelvin-meters per watt (K⋅m⋅W). For a
Thermal conductivity reciprocal of thermal conductivity is called thermal resistivity. The general equation for thermal conductivity is formula_1, where formula_2 is the heat flux, formula_3 is the thermal conductivity and formula_4 is the temperature gradient. In the International System of Units (SI), thermal conductivity is measured in watts per meter-kelvin (W/(m⋅K)). Some papers report in watts per centimeter-kelvin (W/(cm⋅K)). In imperial units, thermal conductivity is measured in BTU/(hr⋅ft⋅°F). The dimension of thermal conductivity is MLTΘ, expressed in terms of the dimensions mass (M), length (L), time (T), and temperature (Θ). Other units which are closely related to the thermal conductivity are in