All books

Professional

Apps About Coach Log in Start reading

Physics · Glossary

What is Heat current density?

Also known as: thermal flux

Definition 25.1 University Physics — Year 2 · Chapter 25 — Heat Conduction

The heat current density j→Q\vect{j}_Q (in W/m2\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}^{2}) is the vector such that the energy transferred by conduction through an oriented surface element  ⁣dS→\dd\vect S during  ⁣dt\dd t is j→Q⋅ ⁣dS→  ⁣dt\vect{j}_Q\cdot\dd\vect S\,\dd t; the thermal flux (a power, in watts) through a surface SS is Φ=∬Sj→Q⋅ ⁣dS→\Phi = \iint_S\vect{j}_Q\cdot\dd\vect S.

Examples

Example 25.3 (Conductivities)

Metals (electrons carry the heat as well as the current — conductivities track each other): copper 400 W/m/K400\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}, aluminium 240 W/m/K240\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}, steel 50 W/m/K50\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}. Insulating solids: concrete 1.5 W/m/K1.5\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}, glass 1 W/m/K1\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}, brick 0.8 W/m/K0.8\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}, wood 0.15 W/m/K0.15\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}. Liquids: water 0.6 W/m/K0.6\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}. Gases: air 0.026 W/m/K0.026\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K} — and the best insulators, glass wool or foam at 0.04 W/m/K0.04\,\mathrm{W}/\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{K}, are mostly still air, trapped so that it cannot convect. Four orders of magnitude from copper to air.

Read in context →