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Thermal conductivity of water ______ with rise in temperature.

  • The thermal conductivity of water may increase or decrease depending upon temperature with rise in temperature.
  • Unlike other liquids, the thermal conductivity of water (k) increases as the temperature increases, but this happens only up to 130°C. Beyond 130°C, k values decrease with temperature.
  • For water below 130°C., as the temperature increases, water molecules exist as a cluster due to hydrogen bonds, so instead of each molecule being further apart, collision velocity increases. Thus, higher thermal conductivity.
  • However, beyond 130C in which most hydrogen bonds are already broken, water molecules are now behaving like normal liquids as the temperature goes up.
  • This means that beyond the 130°C collision distance of water, molecules govern the thermal conductivity. Hence thermal conductivity decrease.