The thermal conductivity of copper is 397 J/s⋅m⋅°C and of silver is 427 J/s⋅m⋅°C.A rod of each material is used as a heat conductor.If the rods have the same geometry and are used between the same temperature differences for the same time interval,what is the ratio of the heat transferred by copper to the heat transferred by the silver?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The heat transferred ($Q$) through a material is directly proportional to its thermal conductivity ($k$), given by the equation $Q = kA(T_2 - T_1)t/L$, where $A$ is the cross-sectional area, $T_2 - T_1$ is the temperature difference, $t$ is the time, and $L$ is the length of the material. Since all other factors are the same for both materials, the ratio of heat transferred by copper to that by silver is simply the ratio of their thermal conductivities: $397/427 = 0.930$.

The Thermal Conductivity of Copper Is 397 J/s⋅m⋅°C and of Silver