- #1
Martinez43
- 3
- 1
Homework Statement
Hello,
As part of my engineering orientation class, my team and I have to make a device that can keep a beaker of water warm. We have a list of materials we can and cannot use, but my team and I have decided on aluminum foil and maybe wood. We don't actually have to build this thing, but instead, we have to write a paper on the design and calculations used to determine the final temperature of the water.
The paper is whatever, but what I'm having trouble with is the calculation. The prompt says, "Carry out the necessary calculations to be able to estimate with accuracy the final temperature of the water given the initial condition".
That initial condition is as follows:
(of the water in the beaker)
initial temperature between 60-90 degrees C
initial volume between 50-150 mL (of the water in the beaker)
after a given period of time (anywhere from 20-40 minutes)
Homework Equations
Q=mcΔT
Q= KA(T hot −T cold ) / d[/B]
The Attempt at a Solution
I spent some time googling equations and concepts. First I was thinking r-values, like in insulation, but I turned away from that rather quickly. In the prompt paper, they talk about Thermal Conductivity, which was how I found that the second equation.
My last idea was to solve for thermal conductivity for each of my materials, set that equal to mcΔT of water, I could solve for mass with the density of water, and I would get my final temperature. Hopefully, that made sense. But, number one, I don't think I can set those two equal, and, number two, there is still no time in there.
No one else on my team has really proposed anything else as we, and most of the class are a bit confused, to say the least. We are freshmen, by the way, we know some physics and chemistry, but nothing too crazy
So, if anyone has any suggestions, ideas, formulas, I would highly appreciate it.