The correct answer is silver. Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal, followed by copper, gold, and aluminum. This means that silver is the best conductor of heat, followed by copper, gold, and aluminum.
Thermal conductivity is a measure of how well a material conducts heat. It is measured in watts per meter per kelvin (W/m/K). The higher the thermal conductivity, the better the material conducts heat.
Silver has a thermal conductivity of 429 W/m/K. Copper has a thermal conductivity of 401 W/m/K. Gold has a thermal conductivity of 318 W/m/K. Aluminum has a thermal conductivity of 235 W/m/K.
Silver is often used in applications where heat needs to be transferred quickly, such as in electronics and heat sinks. Copper is also used in these applications, but it is not as good a conductor of heat as silver. Gold is used in jewelry and other applications where its high luster and resistance to corrosion are important. Aluminum is used in a variety of applications, including building materials, cookware, and packaging.
The thermal conductivity of a material is determined by its atomic structure. Materials with a high density of free electrons, such as metals, are good conductors of heat. Materials with a low density of free electrons, such as insulators, are poor conductors of heat.