Table of Contents
6. Heat transfer in metals
1. Introduction
The goal of this experiment is to measure the rate of heat transfer of copper and steel and compare. The rate of heat transfer
$$ H = \frac{k A \Delta T}{L} $$
where $k$ is thermal conductivity which has the units [W m$^{-1}$ K$^{-1}$], $A$ is the cross-sectional area of the conductor, $L$ is its length and $\Delta T$ is the difference in temperature between the two ends of the conductor.
The thermal conductivity of copper and steel are given below.
| Material | Thermal conductivity [W m$^{-1}$ K$^{-1}$] |
|---|---|
| Copper (Cu) | $401$ |
| Steel (Fe+C) | $14$ |
2. Method and data
2.1 List of apparatus
- Beaker
- Thermometer
- Substance (Copper, Steel)
- Weighing scale
- Water (20 ml)
2.2 Setup and Procedure
Using a Vernier calipers measure the radius of the rods and from the radius ($r$) calculate $A=\pi r^2$.
Using a thread and a meter scale measure the length $L$ of the rods.
2.3 Data table
Measure the temperature changes and note down in the following table.
| Time [minute] | Temperature of Copper [$^\circ$C] | Temperature of Steel [$^\circ$C] |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 |
3. Graphical analysis
4. Heat transfer
Compare $H_c$ and $H_s$ in units of J min$^{-1}$.