Question

Despite living in cold arctic water, sea otters don’t have much blubber insulation. Instead they have the densest known fur which holds a lot of air. Air is a good insulator because...

A. It has a high heat capacity

B. It has a low heat capacity

C. It has a low conductivity coefficient

D. It has a high conductivity coefficient

Answer 1

C. It has a lower conductivity coefficient

Thermal conductivity is the property of the material to conduct heat energy. The more it conducts the more it shall transfer energy ( here from body to environment). Since air acts as an insulator it should be weak at conducting heat energy. Thermal (heat) capacity is the ratio of heat applied to change in temperature and hence deals with the ability of the material to hold or absorb heat. But a higher or lower heat capacity shall not make air a good insulator.