Which term describes a conductor that also conducts heat?

• A. Bus bar
• B. Conductor
• C. Circuit breaker
• D. Capacitor

Answer: (B)

Materials that carry electrical current and also transfer heat are called conductors. Metals, which are common electrical conductors, have free electrons that move to carry charge and also transfer energy as heat, so they excel at both tasks. The term that names this property in general is conductor. A bus bar is a specific piece of conductor used to connect and carry large currents, so it’s an example of a conductor, not the word for the property itself. A circuit breaker is a protective device that interrupts current, and a capacitor stores electrical energy rather than describing heat conduction. So the term that best fits is conductor.