Does Hydrogen Conduct Heat?
In the atomic world, heat can be equated with energy. Some elements give off energy very well--they are good conductors. Others are very poor at giving off energy--they are good insulators. Since hydrogen is one of the most prominent elements on Earth, it is helpful to know whether or not hydrogen has the ability to conduct heat (energy).
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Conductivity
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Technically speaking, hydrogen does have the ability to conduct heat. However, hydrogen is a very poor conductor and extreme conditions are needed in order for hydrogen's conductivity to be increased.
Scientific Explanation
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All atoms, including hydrogen, have particles known as electrons that circle the center (nucleus) of the atom. These electrons orbit the nucleus in paths known as shells. Each shell is stable with a specific number of electrons in it. The shell nearest to the nucleus is stable with two electrons. Hydrogen has one shell, but it has only one electron instead of two.
Atoms always try to stabilize themselves by grabbing other electrons to make complete shells. In layman's terms, this means that the hydrogen atom, with its single electron in an unstable shell, will grab energy (heat) instead of giving it away.
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Extremes
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Enormous amounts of energy are required to counter the natural tendency of hydrogen atoms to gain electrons. Such conditions generally are not found on Earth. However, a theory exists that proposes that extreme pressure in the core of Jupiter may result in electrons being pulled away from hydrogen atoms. Under these conditions, hydrogen would be a conductor of heat, since energy is given away from the atom.
Applications
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Since hydrogen always wants to gain an electron to be more stable, it can combine with other substances in order to make insulating materials. Hydrogen and carbon, for instance, are combined to make plastic.
Considerations
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Hydrogen by itself is a very poor conductor of heat; hydrogen atoms typically won't want to give up their single electron to each other under normal circumstances. However, it can bond chemically with other elements. The process of bonding can give off heat as a by-product, depending on the elements involved in the bonding reaction.
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