Worksheet

Question 1

Describe briefly the mechanisms of thermal conduction in

(a) metals and
(b) non-metals.

Question 2

Explain why metals are good conductors for both heat and electricity?

Question 3

An insulated copper rod of length 50 cm and cross-sectional area 5 cm2. The thermal conductivity of
copper is 380 W m-1 K-1. The ends of the copper rod are maintained at 100 oC and 30 oC.
Find
(a) the temperature gradient along the rod.
(b) the temperature at a point 15 cm from the cooler end.
(c) the rate of heat flow along the rod.

Question 4

Two different metal rods P and Q of the same cross-sectional area are joined in series. One end of the
joined rod is heated. The graph below shows how the temperature θ varies with distance x from the hot
end at the steady state.

0 x

(a) State and explain whether the joined rod is lagged;

(b) Compare
(i) the temperature gradients along P and Q ;
(ii) the rates of heat flow along P and Q.
(iii) the thermal conductivity of P and Q.
Question 5

Two thermally well insulated rods of the same length and cross sectional area, but with thermal
conductivity of k1 and k2 (k1 > k2) are arranged as in figure (a) and (b). The two ends of the composite
rods are maintained at temperature T1 and T2 (T1 > T2).

T1 T2

l l
Figure (a)

T1
T2
l

Figure (b)

Sketch the graphs of temperature T against distance x from the hot end of the rod for both
the arrangements shown in Figure (a) and Figure (b) when the steady state is reached.
Question 6

T1 T2

P a Copper rod Q

A copper rod of length L is insulated up to distance a along the length of the rod. The end P is
maintained at temperature T1 and the end Q at T2 (T1 > T2). Draw the graph of temperature T against
distance x from the end P.

Question 7

X P Q Y Insulation

Tx l Ty

The diagram shows a non-uniform insulated rod XY. The end X is heated, at the steady state the
temperature Tx is higher than Ty. Compare the temperature gradients at the points P and Q of the rod.

Question 8

A coffee maker consists of a nickel hot plate of thickness 3.00 mm and cross-sectional area of 115 cm2.
A glass coffee jar has a base of the same area as the hot plate but is of thickness 2.00 mm. Coffee in
the jar is kept at a constant temperature of 60 oC. An electrical heater maintains the temperature of the
lower surface of the hot plate at 85 oC. Determine the rate at which heat flows through the glass base.
(Thermal conductivity of nickel is 91 W m-1 K-1, and that of glass is 1.1 W m-1 K-1).
Question 9

A brass pot has a base of thickness 4.0 mm and cross-sectional area 5.0 × 10 -2 m2. When the pot is
placed on a electric fire, water in the pot boils off at a constant rate of 3.0 × 10-4 kg s-1.
Find temperature difference across the base of the container. State any assumptions you make.
(Thermal conductivity of brass is 76 W m-1 K-1; specific latent heat of vaporization is 2.26 × 106 J kg-1).