Formula regarding insulator thickness, and surface area covered?

AI Thread Summary
A formula exists to calculate heat loss per second (Joules per second) based on the surface area of water, the thickness of the insulator, and the temperature difference. Heat loss increases linearly with surface area and temperature difference, while it decreases with greater insulator thickness. The formula is H = ΔQ/Δt = kA(ΔT/x), where k represents the thermal conductivity of the material. Understanding these relationships is crucial for effective insulation design. Proper application of this formula can help optimize thermal performance in various scenarios.
paperdoll
Messages
69
Reaction score
0
Is there a general formula to measure the amount of heat lost per second (Joules per second) given the surface area which the water covers and the width of the insulator material surrounding it?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi paperdoll! :smile:

Yes, there is.

Intuitively you might be able to realize that it increases linearly with the surface, that it decreases linearly with the thickness, and that it increases linearly with the temperature difference.
And of course it depends on the material being used.

As you can see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_conductivity#Equations
the formula is:
H = {\Delta Q \over \Delta t} = k A {\Delta T \over x}
 
Back
Top