Problem involving thermal radiation and specific heat

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the temperature drop of a satellite as it moves through Earth's shadow after absorbing sunlight. The satellite, a copper shell, initially warms to 50 °C and radiates energy in deep space at 0 K with an emissivity of 0.75. The user initially miscalculated the temperature drop, leading to confusion about the application of the radiation formula and the integration process. After engaging in a detailed discussion about the equations and integration bounds, the user successfully derived the correct temperature drop, demonstrating a better understanding of the underlying physics. The conversation highlights the importance of correctly applying thermal radiation principles and solving differential equations in thermal dynamics.
Wimpalot
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Homework Statement


A satellite to reflect radar is a 3.5-m-diameter, 2.0-mm-thick spherical copper shell. While orbiting the earth, the satellite absorbs sunlight and is warmed to 50 °C. When it passes into the Earth's shadow, the satellite radiates energy to deep space. You can assume a deep-space temperature of 0 K. If the satellite's emissivity is 0.75, to what temperature, in °C, will it drop during the 50 minutes it takes to move through the Earth's shadow

Homework Equations


P=eσAT4
Q = mCΔT
ρ = m/V

The Attempt at a Solution


I thought I had this question worked out but my solution didn't work. In any case this is what I did:

First some useful things. I found the surface area of the sphere to be 38.48m2 and then I calculated the volume as being:
22.45 - 22.37 = 0.08m3
by taking the volume of the outer sphere with radius 1.75m and subtracting the volume of the inner sphere of radius 1.748m

Then I found the power that is radiated using P=eσAT4 as we can assume Tc=0
P = 0.75 * 5.67*10^-8 * 38.48 * 3234
= 17812.2W

Then I calculated the total energy over the 50 minutes:
17812.2 * 60 * 50 = 5.34*107J

Then I used the density of copper and the aforementioned volume to calculate the mass of copper:
8920 * 0.08 = 713.6kg

And then I used the specific heat formula to calculate the final temperature after losing the energy from above. Negative because the heat is lost.

-5.34*107 = 713.6 * 385 * (TF - 323)
TF = 128.5K = -144.502°C

But that is apparently wrong. I am not sure where I went wrong. Does the radiation formula not work because the temperature is changing perhaps?
 
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If the temperature changes that much, P will not be constant. Equate the instantaneous value of P to -mCpdT/dt and solve the differential equation.
 
mjc123 said:
If the temperature changes that much, P will not be constant. Equate the instantaneous value of P to -mCpdT/dt and solve the differential equation.

I am not really sure how to do that. Do I just say:
eσAT(t)4 = -mCdT/dt?

How do I go about solving this? And is it okay to do this because now both are with respect to time (as in the power is J/s and we have a dt on the other side)?
 
Write (eσA/mC) dt = -1/T4 dT and integrate both sides.
 
mjc123 said:
Write (eσA/mC) dt = -1/T4 dT and integrate both sides.
I got -7.79°C which is still wrong apparently
 
Oh. I got -44°C. How did you do the integration?
 
mjc123 said:
Oh. I got -44°C. How did you do the integration?
I got:
5.95*10-12 * t = 1/3T3
And then I substituted t = 3000 and solved for T
 
Wimpalot said:
I got:
5.95*10-12 * t = 1/3T3
And then I substituted t = 3000 and solved for T
Think about the integration bounds. The result of the integration step relates the change in each side. On one one side you have a change in time, but the other side is not a change in temperature, nor is it the cube of the final temperature. What is it the change in?

(I get -46C.)
 
haruspex said:
Think about the integration bounds. The result of the integration step relates the change in each side. On one one side you have a change in time, but the other side is not a change in temperature, nor is it the cube of the final temperature. What is it the change in?

(I get -46C.)

I am not entirely sure. Is it the total temperature difference? That doesn't sound right...?
 
  • #10
It's a definite integral. The solution (assuming your arithmetic is right) is
[5.95*10-12 * t]03000 = [1/(3T3)]323Tf
 
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  • #11
mjc123 said:
It's a definite integral. The solution (assuming your arithmetic is right) is
[5.95*10-12 * t]03000 = [1/(3T3)]323Tf

Thank you that worked perfectly and I actually understand why too.
 
  • #12
In the immortal words of Basil Fawlty, "A satisfied customer! We should have him stuffed!"
 
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