Thermal Conductivity Converter
Convert thermal conductivity (a material’s ability to conduct heat) between watts per metre kelvin, BTU per hour foot Fahrenheit and related units.
Written by Rahman · Last reviewed
Quick answer
Thermal conductivity measures how readily a material conducts heat, in watts per metre kelvin. One BTU inch per hour square foot °F is 0.1442 W/(m·K) and one calorie per second centimetre °C is 418.68. Copper is around 400 W/(m·K) against roughly 0.04 for fibreglass insulation, a spread of four orders of magnitude.
| Watt per metre kelvin (W/(m·K)) | 1 |
| Watt per centimetre °C (W/(cm·°C)) | 0.01 |
| BTU·in per h·ft²·°F (BTU·in/(h·ft²·°F)) | 6.933471797 |
| BTU·ft per h·ft²·°F (BTU·ft/(h·ft²·°F)) | 0.5777893165 |
| Calorie per s·cm·°C (cal/(s·cm·°C)) | 0.002388458966 |
About the Thermal Conductivity Converter
Thermal conductivity measures how readily a material conducts heat. Metals have high conductivity, while insulators such as foam and wool have low conductivity. The SI unit is the watt per metre kelvin.
This converter compares conductivity values used in materials science, construction and engineering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is thermal conductivity?
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It is a material property describing how quickly heat passes through it. High conductivity means heat moves easily.
Which materials conduct heat best?
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Metals such as copper and aluminium conduct heat very well, while air, foam and fibreglass conduct it poorly.
What is the SI unit?
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The SI unit is the watt per metre kelvin, written W/(m·K).