A copper block and an air mass block having similar dimensions are sub...
Since thermal conductivity of copper is far greater than air.
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A copper block and an air mass block having similar dimensions are sub...
Heat Transfer between Copper and Air Blocks
Introduction:
In this scenario, a copper block and an air mass block having similar dimensions are subjected to symmetrical heat transfer from one face of each block. The question is to determine whether both blocks will reach the same temperature at the same rate, or one block will reach the temperature faster than the other.
Explanation:
The rate of heat transfer between two objects depends on various factors like thermal conductivity, specific heat, and density of the materials. In this case, the copper block has a much higher thermal conductivity than air, which means it can conduct heat much faster than the air block. Therefore, the copper block will reach the temperature faster than the air block.
Thermal conductivity is the measure of a material's ability to conduct heat. Copper has a thermal conductivity of around 400 W/mK, which is much higher than the thermal conductivity of air, which is only around 0.03 W/mK. This means that copper can conduct heat 13,333 times faster than air.
Moreover, specific heat is another factor that affects the rate of heat transfer. Specific heat is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius. The specific heat of copper is much higher than the specific heat of air, which means copper requires more heat to raise its temperature than air.
Conclusion:
Therefore, from the above explanation, we can conclude that the copper block will reach the temperature faster than the air block when subjected to symmetrical heat transfer from one face of each block.