Question

A thermally isolated system consists of a hot piece of aluminum and a cold piece of copper. The aluminum and the copper are in thermal contact. The specific heat of aluminum is more than double that of copper. Which object experiences the greater amount of heat transfer during the time it takes the system to reach thermal equilibrium?

Answer 1

the amount of heat that gets through both the wires will be same.

Step-by-step explanation:

By the Fourier's law of conduction we have:

`\dot{Q}=k.A.(dT)/(dx)`

where:

`\dot{Q}`= rate of heat transfer

k = thermal conductivity of the material

A = area of the material

dT = temperature difference across the length dx

According to the question, the system to be analysed is isolated from the surrounding.

Until the thermal equilibrium is established between aluminium and copper wires the amount of heat that gets through both the wires will be same.

But the rate of heat transfer through the aluminium will be greater as it has double the thermal conductivity of copper.