Explain why wax A melts first and what process transfers heat in the metal rod experiment. What would happen with a wooden stick?

Here are the answers to the questions based on the experiment:

a) Wax A melts first.
Heat is transferred by conduction along the metal rod. Position A is closest to the heat source (the candle), so it receives heat first and at the highest temperature, causing the wax at that position to melt before the others.

b) The process by which the heat reaches the wax on the metal rod is conduction.

c) When one end of the wooden stick is heated for 2-4 minutes, the wax will likely not melt, or only melt very slowly at position A (closest to the flame).
This is because wood is a poor conductor of heat (an insulator). Heat does not transfer efficiently along the wooden stick, so the wax drops, especially those further from the heated end, will not receive enough heat to melt.