Insulation

Imagine you're trying to keep a secret from spreading at a family gathering. Just like keeping that secret requires whispering to only a few trusted people to prevent it from rapidly spreading, insulation works to slow down the transfer of heat energy from one side to the other. In this analogy, the secret is the heat energy, the trusted individuals are the insulating material, and the family gathering is the environment; just as the secret stays contained with the trusted individuals, the heat energy remains contained within the insulated area, preventing it from spreading too quickly.