Final answer:
Materials are considered good conductors of heat based on how their molecules are arranged, with answer a) Arranged; Conductive structures being correct. Metals, with their lattice structure and free electrons, are efficient heat conductors.
Step-by-step explanation:
When materials can easily pass energy from one molecule to another, they are considered good conductors of heat; this capacity depends on how their molecules are arranged. The correct answer to the question would be a) Arranged; Conductive structures.
Good conductors of electricity, such as metals like copper, aluminum, gold, and silver, are also known to be good conductors of heat. This is because these conductors have a sea of free electrons that can move freely across the atoms, allowing them to transport electrical current and thermal energy effectively.
Insulators, on the other hand, have an atomic structure that does not permit free electrons to move easily, making them poor heat conductors.
The atomic lattice structure in metals enables the effective transfer of thermal energy. In this structure, free electrons carry heat via collisions with the atoms, causing the transfer of energy. Hence, how molecules are arranged in a material plays a critical role in its ability to conduct heat.