KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
(KNUST)

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS (KNUST – Kumasi)

FACULTY OF PHYSICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES

AN EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE THE THERMAL

CONDUCTIVITY OF A CIRCULAR WOODEN DISC USING LEE’S
DISC METHOD

BOATENG KOFI MELVIN SHERIFF

4656918

BSC. PHYSICS

18TH DECEMBER, 2018

 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page Number

Abstract … … 1

Introduction … … 1

Diagram of Setup … … 2

Method/Procedure … … 2

Observation Table (Data) … … 3

Graph of observation table … … 4

Theory and Calculations … … 5

Results and Discussions … … 6

Error Analysis … … 6

Precautions … … 6

Conclusion … … 7

References … … 7

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 ABSTRACT

The experiment was conducted to determine the thermal conductivity of a wooden disc using the
lee’s method. A flat wooden disc, two thermometers, a stop watch, lee’s apparatus, micrometer
screw gauge and callipers aided in the completion of the experiment. After the set-up was properly
placed, the steady states ϴ1 and ϴ2 were obtained as 980 C and 520 C respectively. The thermal
conductivity was then determined by the help of a cooling curve. Newton’s law of cooling which
𝑑𝛳
gave us = −0.06750 C/s after which the thermal conductivity of the wooden base was obtained
𝑑𝑡

as −7.88 x 10-6 Wm–1 K–1. ± 0.36.

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 INTRODUCTION

Energy flow as a result of temperature difference is called thermal energy and this can be possible

by three ways namely, conduction, convection and radiation. For this experiment, the focus was on

conduction. Conduction is the mode of heat transfer where the molecules of a material known as a

conductor vibrates and transfer energy in the form of heat to each other without the material

(conductor) itself moving. The ratio of temperature difference between the molecules of two

different points in a conductor, is their distance of separation is what is known as temperature

gradient. Heat conductors can be classified into two different groups; good conductors of heat and

bad conductors of heat. Good conductors of heat allow heat to flow through them easily whiles bad

conductors do not allow heat to flow through them easily. Examples of good conductors of heat are

copper, steel, brass and many more. Examples of bad conductors of heat are wood, glass, asbestos,

among others. The measure of the ability of a substance to transmit heat is called Thermal

conductivity. In this experiment, the thermal conductivity of a wooden disc was determined with

the help of a cooling curve which operates on the principle of Newton’s law of cooling.

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 DIAGRAM OF SETUP
The diagram below shows the setup in determining the thermal conductivity of wooden disc.

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 METHOD/PROCEDURE

1. Suspend the thick brass disc in place and away from draughts and place the bad conductor
on it. Use a little grease to ensure good thermal contact.

2. Reset the steam chest S with its base on the bad conductor. Connect S to a steam flask.

3. Carefully insert the thermometer T1 and T2 as shown and read them every few minutes until
they indicate that steady state has been reached. Record these steady states as ϴ1 and ϴ2
respectively.

4. Remove the steam chest but leave the bad conductor in place and warm the brass disc from
beneath with a Bunsen flame until it is about 100 C above the steady temperature reached
before.

5. Allow brass disc to cool, taking the temperature at frequent intervals (15 – 30 s) until it has
fallen about 200 C. measure the diameter 𝐷 of the bad conductor and its thickness 𝑑.

6. Tabulate your readings and determine the thermal conductivity using equation 2 above.

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 OBSERVATION TABLE

The table below illustrates values/data used in finding the rate of cooling of the wooden disc.

Temperature (ϴ/ 0C) Time (t/ s)

61 20.00
59 40.00
57 60.00
55 80.00
54 100.00
53 120.00
52 140.00
51 160.00
51 180.00

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 GRAPH OF OBSERVATION TABLE

A graph of temperature (ϴ) against time (s)

62

60

58
ϴ/ 0C

56

54

52

50
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
t /s

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 THEORY AND CALCULATIONS

When the steady state has been attained the rate at which heat is conducted across the bad
conducting disc is equal to the rate at which heat is emitted from the exposed surfaces of the brass
disc. If 𝑘 is the thermal conductivity of the bad conducting disc, D is its diameter, and 𝑑 its
thickness and the readings of the thermometers T1 and T2 in the steady state are ϴ1 and ϴ2 0C, then
the rate at which heat is conducted across the disc is
𝜋𝐷2 𝛳1 −𝛳2
=𝑘 ( 𝑑 ) ……..(1)
4
A cooling curve from the results of the second part is drawn and the tangent to the curve at the
temperature corresponding to the steady value of ϴ2 in part 1 is drawn to determine the rate, S of
𝑑𝛳 𝑑𝛳
the cooling. The heat lost in Watt at this temperature is 𝑚𝑐 ( ) where 𝑆 = ( 𝑑𝑡 ) rate of heat loss
𝑑𝑡
at the temperature ϴ2.
Neglecting heat loss in part 2 by conduction through the bad conductor, (since the bad conductor is
cut very thin, the exposed surface at the edges are small therefore heat losses through the surfaces
can be ignored), the conditions are similar to those in part 1.

𝜋𝐷2 𝛳1 −𝛳2 𝑑𝛳
𝑘=
4
( 𝑑 ) = 𝑚𝑐 ( 𝑑𝑡 ) ……(2)

𝑑𝛳
= 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝛳2.
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝛳 54.7−52
From the graph, = = −0.0675 0C/s
𝑑𝑡 100−140

𝜋𝐷2 𝛳1−𝛳2 𝑑𝛳
𝑘 ( ) = 𝑚𝑐 [ 𝑑𝑡 ]
4 𝑑

22(0.111)2 371−325
𝑘 ( ) = 0.038 (0.380) x (0.0675)
7(4) 0.0036

0.271062 46
𝑘 (0.0036) = 0.01444 (-0.0675)
28

𝑘 9.68079 x 10–3 (12777.778) = 0.01444 (-0.0675)

𝑘 123.699 = −9.747 x 10–4

Therefore 𝑘 = −7.8796 x 10–6 Wm –1K –1 ± 0.36

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 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Using the lee’s Disc apparatus, the thermal conductivity (K) of the wooden conductor; K =

−7.8976 x 10–6 W/m/K ± 0.36

From the results obtained, it is demonstrated in this experiment that a negative value will be

obtained when calculating the thermal conductivity of a wooden disc. If the steady temperature of

the steam chest ϴ is greater than the steady temperature of the lower brass disc. Error was

encountered due to a continuous change of the room temperature which came about as a result of an

opened window near the experiment. Since the experiment was done for a longer period of time the

room temperature varied during the course of experiment altering the steady states slightly. Aside

that, all other measurements were taken to ensure that accurate results would be obtained.

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 ERROR ANALYSIS

Error for thermal conductivity was computed as follows;

𝑑𝛳 2
∆𝐾 ∆ ∆𝑑 2 ∆𝑥 2 ∆𝑇2 + ∆𝑇1 2
= √( 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝛳 ) + (2 ) +( ) +( )
𝐾 𝑑 𝑥 𝑇2 − 𝑇1
𝑑𝑡

∆𝐾 0.01 2 0.01 2 0.001 2 0.1+ 0.1 2

= √(− ) + (4 ) +( ) +( )
𝐾 0.0675 0.111 0.0036 46

∆𝐾
= √(0.0219478738) + 0.03246489733 + 0.07716049383 + 1.89 𝑥 10−5
𝐾

∆𝐾
= √0.1315889036
𝐾

∆𝐾
= ± 0.36
𝐾

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 PRECAUTIONS

1. It was ensured that the diameter of the wooden disc was sufficiently larger than its
thickness.

2. Error due to parallax was avoided during recording of readings on the micrometer screw
gauge and the glass laboratory thermometer.

3. The steam chest was well connected to the source of steam.

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 CONCLUSION

This experiment conducted, gave the thermal conductivity of a wooden disc and also showed that,
the thermal conductivity of any bad conductor will be a negative value, provided the steady
temperature of the steam chest is greater than the steady state of the good conductor beneath the
wooden disc.

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 REFERENCES:

1. Nelkon & Parker, Advanced Level Physics 3 rd edition, Heinemann Educational Books
Ltd. London, pp. 202 - 209

2. Reginald, M. N., David W. S., Smith and Van-Dyke, S. A (2018) Laboratory manual in
Experimental Physics I, Department of Physics K. N. U. S. T, pp. 58

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