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Thermal diffusivity
In heat transfer analysis, thermal diffusivity (symbol: α) is the ratio of thermal conductivity to heat capacity.
where
k is thermal conductivity, measured in watts per metre-kelvin
ρcp is the volumetric heat capacity, measured in joules per cubic metre-kelvin
The SI units are square metres per second or mē/s.
Substances with high thermal diffusivity rapidly adjust their temperature to that of their surroundings, because they conduct heat quickly in comparison to their thermal 'bulk'.
03-10-2013 05:06:04
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The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details