Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Conduction is the transfer of heat within a substance or between substances in direct physical contact, without the movement of the material as a whole.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Conduction heat transfer is mathematically described by Fourier's Law of Heat Conduction.
Fourier's law states that the rate of heat transfer through a material is proportional to the negative gradient of the temperature and to the area through which the heat flows.
\[ q = -k A \frac{dT}{dx} \]
where:
\( q \) is the heat flow rate,
\( k \) is the thermal conductivity of the material,
\( A \) is the cross-sectional area,
\( \frac{dT}{dx} \) is the temperature gradient.
Stefan's law (or Stefan-Boltzmann law) describes radiation heat transfer, and Newton's law of cooling describes convection.
Therefore, Fourier's law is the governing law for conduction.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Fourier's law is the governing law for conductive heat transfer.