Conduction

Conduction is thermal-energy transfer from a hotter region to a colder region **without bulk movement of the material**. In solids, heated particles vibrate more strongly and transfer energy to neighbouring particles. In metals, mobile electrons also transport energy efficiently, making metals generally good conductors. Materials such as plastic, wood, foam and trapped air are relatively poor thermal conductors and therefore useful as insulators.

A metal spoon left in hot soup gradually becomes hot along its handle. The spoon has not moved along itself; thermal energy has been conducted through it.