Fourier's law is a physical law that describes the heat transfer between two objects that are in contact with each other. The law states that the rate of heat transfer (Q) through a material is proportional to the temperature difference (ΔT) across the material, the area (A) of the material, and the thermal conductivity (k) of the material. Mathematically, Fourier's law can be expressed as:
Q = -kA(ΔT/x)
where x is the distance between the two objects.
The key features of Fourier's law are:
1. Heat transfer occurs due to a temperature difference between two objects.
2. The rate of heat transfer is proportional to the temperature difference, area, distance, and thermal conductivity.
3. The law applies to homogeneous materials that are in thermal equilibrium.
4. The law can be used to calculate the heat flux, which is the amount of heat passing through a given area per unit time.
Overall, Fourier's law plays an important role in understanding the transport of heat in various systems and is widely used in fields such as thermodynamics, engineering, and physics.
What is Fourier's law? What are its key features?
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