Steady one-dimensional conduction through a flat slab transfers heat from its hotter face to its colder face.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §14.5 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Steady one-dimensional conduction through a flat slab transfers heat from its hotter face to its colder face. Greater thickness reduces the rate for the same face temperatures.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Conductive heat-transfer rate | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | ||
| Area | ||
| Hot-face minus cold-face temperature | ||
| Length (thickness) |
Estimate steady heat transfer through a slab.
Compare conduction rates for different slab thicknesses.
Find the heat-transfer rate through a slab with conductivity 0.0400 W/(m·K), area 2 m², thickness 0.100 m, and face-temperature difference 20 K.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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