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Dhananjay Singh
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In context of heat transfer, are conduction and diffusion same process?
No, I know thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are different physical properties. Thermal diffusivity is the ratio of thermal conductivity of material to the product of its density & specific heat capacity. I want to know about the difference in the process (at microscopic level) and definition of Conduction & Diffusion.Chestermiller said:Are you asking about the physical properties Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Diffusivity?
Diffusion of heat usually means spreading of heat to a wider volume either through any or all of heat transfer mechanisms i.e conduction, convection or radiation.Dhananjay Singh said:In context of heat transfer, are conduction and diffusion same process?
Conduction is the transfer of heat or electricity through a material, while diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
Examples of conduction include touching a hot stove and feeling the heat transfer to your hand, or using a metal spoon to stir a hot cup of tea and feeling the spoon heat up.
In general, higher temperatures lead to faster rates of conduction and diffusion. This is because higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy of particles, causing them to move and collide more frequently.
Yes, conduction and diffusion can occur simultaneously. For example, when you heat a pot of water on the stove, the water molecules are both conducting heat from the bottom of the pot and diffusing throughout the liquid to distribute the heat.
It depends on the specific circumstances. Conduction is more efficient for transferring heat between objects in direct contact, while diffusion is more efficient for transferring particles over longer distances. Both processes are important in different situations.