Materials are considered to be isotropic if the properties are not dependent on the direction. The isotropic material properties are listed below. Depending on the analysis type, not all the material properties may be required.
Mass Density:
The mass density of a material is its mass per unit volume. This property is applicable to all thermal elements. This property is required for a transient heat transfer analysis.
Thermal conductivity:
The thermal conductivity of a material is a measure of the ability of the material to conduct heat. A material with a high thermal conductivity will conduct heat better than a material with a low thermal conductivity. This property is applicable to all thermal elements. This property is required for all thermal analyses.
Specific heat:
The specific heat of a material is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a single unit of mass of the material 1 degree. This property is applicable to all thermal elements. This property is required for a transient heat transfer analysis and for parts designated as a fluid when incorporating fluid effects in a thermal analysis.