In the history of human civilization is impossible to exaggerate the role of copper.It was with her people began to develop metallurgy, I studied to create tools, pottery, jewelry, and money.And all thanks to the unique properties of this metal, is shown at an alloy with other substances.That soft, the durable, the refractory, it melts effortlessly.It has many fine features, and one of them is the thermal conductivity of copper.
If we are talking about this characteristic, it is necessary to clarify what is at stake.Thermal conductivity is the ability of a substance to transfer heat from the hot to the cold area.So, the thermal conductivity of copper is one of the highest among metals.As can be appreciated such a property as good or bad?
If you ask chefs and cooks, they say, as well, making copper utensils the best transfers the heat from the fire to the upcoming product, and the heating is evenly distributed over the surface in contact with the flame.
course, other metals, and not only metals, heat transfer, or in another way, have sufficient thermal conductivity, but copper, this ability is one of the best so-called thermal conductivity copper highest above only silver.
Award provides the ability to use metal opportunities in various fields.In all systems, heat exchange copper is the first candidate on the application.For example, in electric heaters or in a car radiator, wherein the heated coolant gives excess heat.
Now we can try to understand what is due to the effect of heat transfer.What is happening is explained simply.There is a uniform energy distribution over the volume of the material.You can draw an analogy with a volatile gas.Once in a vicious vessel, a gas occupies all available space.So here, if the metal is heated in any particular area, the resulting energy is evenly distributed throughout the material.
That phenomenon can be explained by the thermal conductivity of copper.Without going into quantum physics, we can say that due to external energy input (heating) of the atoms gets extra energy and then transmits it to other atoms.The energy (heat) is distributed throughout the volume of the object, causing its overall heating.This happens with any substance.
The only difference is that copper, which is a very high thermal conductivity, good heat transfers, and other substances do the same thing much worse.But in many cases it may be necessary property.On the properties of a substance to conduct heat poorly based thermal insulation, due to poor heat transfer does not occur its losses.Thermal insulation in buildings can save a comfortable accommodation in the most severe frosts.
exchange of energy or, as in this case, heat transfer, and can be of different materials, if they are in physical contact.This is what happens when we put the kettle on the fire.It is heated, and then from the cookware heats up the water.Due to the material properties of the heat transfer occurs.Heat transfer is dependent upon many factors, including the properties of the material such as its purity.Thus, if the thermal conductivity of copper is better than that of other metals, its alloys have, bronze and brass have a significantly poorer heat conductivity.
Talking about these properties, it should be noted that the thermal conductivity depends on temperature.Even the most pure copper with a content of 99.8%, as the temperature increases the thermal conductivity drops, and other metals such as manganese brass, with increasing temperature coefficient increases.
In the above description is given explanation of such concepts as heat conductivity, explain the physical essence of the phenomenon, the example of copper and other substances considered some applications of these properties to everyday life.
