The graph shows temperature as a function of thickness in three adjacent slabs of material of equal thickness. Assuming the heat transfer through the compound slabs is in a steady state, what can you say of these materials?
A) material 1 is the best insulator
B) material 2 is the best insulator
C) material 3 is the best insulator
D) all are equally good insulators
E) It is impossible to determine which is the best insulator.

Question

The graph shows temperature as a function of thickness in three adjacent slabs of material of equal thickness. Assuming the heat transfer through the compound slabs is in a steady state, what can you say of these materials?
A) material 1 is the best insulator 
B) material 2 is the best insulator 
C) material 3 is the best insulator 
D) all are equally good insulators 
E) It is impossible to determine which is the best insulator.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

From the graph, we can see that material 3 has the lowest temperature gradient (change in temperature over thickness) compared to material 1 and 2. This indicates that material 3 is resisting the flow of heat the most, and therefore has the highest thermal resistance. Therefore, material 3 is the best insulator out of the three.

The Graph Shows Temperature as a Function of Thickness in Three