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Newton's Law of Cooling:
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Newton's Law of Cooling describes the rate at which an object cools when exposed to a surrounding environment with a different temperature. It states that the rate of heat loss is proportional to the temperature difference between the object and its surroundings.
The calculator uses Newton's Law of Cooling equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation models exponential decay of temperature difference over time, where the cooling rate depends on the cooling constant k.
Details: Accurate temperature difference calculation is crucial for thermal analysis, cooling system design, food safety, medical applications, and various engineering processes involving heat transfer.
Tips: Enter initial temperature difference in Kelvin, cooling constant in per second, and time in seconds. All values must be valid (T₀ > 0, k > 0, t ≥ 0).
Q1: What is the cooling constant k?
A: The cooling constant k depends on the object's properties and environment. It represents how quickly the object cools and is determined experimentally.
Q2: Can this be used for heating processes?
A: Yes, Newton's Law applies to both cooling and heating when an object approaches ambient temperature.
Q3: What are typical values for k?
A: k values vary widely depending on material and conditions. For liquids in containers, typical values range from 0.001 to 0.1 per second.
Q4: Are there limitations to this law?
A: The law assumes constant ambient temperature and works best for moderate temperature differences. It may not be accurate for very large temperature differences or complex geometries.
Q5: How is this different from Stefan-Boltzmann law?
A: Newton's Law is empirical and applies to convection cooling, while Stefan-Boltzmann law describes radiative heat transfer which follows a T⁴ relationship.