How does the science of heat transfer differ from the science of thermodynamics?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The key differences are as follows: 1. Focus: Heat transfer deals with the exchange of thermal energy between systems, while thermodynamics is concerned with the broader interaction and transformation of heat, work, and energy in a system. 2. Modes of Interaction: Heat transfer focuses on three specific mechanisms - conduction, convection, and radiation, whereas thermodynamics establishes fundamental laws that govern the behavior of energy in systems. 3. Scope: Heat transfer is a sub-discipline of thermodynamics, focused on practical engineering aspects of thermal energy exchange, while thermodynamics is a broader field of study that encompasses heat transfer and other processes such as the Carnot cycle, entropy, and thermodynamic equilibrium.

Step by step solution

01

Define Heat Transfer

Heat transfer is a branch of science that deals with the exchange of thermal energy between physical systems due to the difference in temperature. It mainly focuses on three different modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation.
02

Define Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is a broader field of physics that is concerned with the relationships between heat, work, and energy. It provides a set of principles and laws (such as the first and second laws of thermodynamics) that govern the behavior of energy in systems.
03

Highlight the Key Differences

1. Focus: Heat transfer mainly deals with the exchange of thermal energy between systems. In contrast, thermodynamics is concerned with the broader interaction and transformation of heat, work, and energy in a system. 2. Modes of Interaction: Heat transfer focuses on three specific mechanisms, which are conduction, convection, and radiation. Thermodynamics, on the other hand, does not deal with these specific mechanisms but rather, establishes the fundamental laws that govern the behavior of energy in systems. 3. Scope: Heat transfer is a sub-discipline of thermodynamics but is typically more focused on the practical engineering aspects of thermal energy exchange. Thermodynamics is a broader field of study that encompasses heat transfer as well as several other processes like the Carnot cycle, entropy, and thermodynamic equilibrium.
04

Conclusion

In summary, the science of heat transfer is a sub-discipline of thermodynamics that specifically deals with the exchange of thermal energy between systems due to temperature difference. It mainly focuses on practical engineering aspects and three different modes of transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. On the other hand, thermodynamics is a broader field that deals with the principles and laws governing the relationship between heat, work, and energy in a system.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is the physical mechanism of heat conduction in a solid, a liquid, and a gas?

Consider steady heat transfer between two large parallel plates at constant temperatures of \(T_{1}=290 \mathrm{~K}\) and \(T_{2}=150 \mathrm{~K}\) that are \(L=2 \mathrm{~cm}\) apart. Assuming the surfaces to be black (emissivity \(\varepsilon=1\) ), determine the rate of heat transfer between the plates per unit surface area assuming the gap between the plates is (a) filled with atmospheric air, \((b)\) evacuated, \((c)\) filled with fiberglass insulation, and \((d)\) filled with superinsulation having an apparent thermal conductivity of \(0.00015 \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m} \cdot \mathrm{K}\).

A cold bottled drink ( \(\left.m=2.5 \mathrm{~kg}, c_{p}=4200 \mathrm{~J} / \mathrm{kg} \cdot \mathrm{K}\right)\) at \(5^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) is left on a table in a room. The average temperature of the drink is observed to rise to \(15^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) in 30 minutes. The average rate of heat transfer to the drink is (a) \(23 \mathrm{~W}\) (b) \(29 \mathrm{~W}\) (c) \(58 \mathrm{~W}\) (d) \(88 \mathrm{~W}\) (e) \(122 \mathrm{~W}\)

A 3-m-internal-diameter spherical tank made of 1 -cm-thick stainless steel is used to store iced water at \(0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). The tank is located outdoors at \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). Assuming the entire steel tank to be at \(0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) and thus the thermal resistance of the tank to be negligible, determine \((a)\) the rate of heat transfer to the iced water in the tank and \((b)\) the amount of ice at \(0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) that melts during a 24 -hour period. The heat of fusion of water at atmospheric pressure is \(h_{i f}=333.7 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{kg}\). The emissivity of the outer surface of the tank is \(0.75\), and the convection heat transfer coefficient on the outer surface can be taken to be \(30 \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m}^{2} \cdot \mathrm{K}\). Assume the average surrounding surface temperature for radiation exchange to be \(15^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\).

Heat treatment is common in processing of semiconductor material. A 200-mm- diameter silicon wafer with thickness of \(725 \mu \mathrm{m}\) is being heat treated in a vacuum chamber by infrared heater. The surrounding walls of the chamber have a uniform temperature of \(310 \mathrm{~K}\). The infrared heater provides an incident radiation flux of \(200 \mathrm{~kW} / \mathrm{m}^{2}\) on the upper surface of the wafer, and the emissivity and absorptivity of the wafer surface are \(0.70\). Using a pyrometer, the lower surface temperature of the wafer is measured to be \(1000 \mathrm{~K}\). Assuming there is no radiation exchange between the lower surface of the wafer and the surroundings, determine the upper surface temperature of the wafer. (Note: A pyrometer is a non-contacting device that intercepts and measures thermal radiation. This device can be used to determine the temperature of an object's surface.)

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