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Newton’s Law of Cooling

The rate of heat loss of a body is directly proportional to the temperature differential between the body and its surroundings, according to Newton's law of cooling. The law is typically tempered by the fact that the temperature difference is modest and the nature of the heat transmission mechanism does not change.

The pace at which an object cools is proportional to the temperature difference between the object and its surroundings, according to Newton’s law of cooling. Simply explained, in a cold room, a glass of hot water will cool down faster than in a hot room. The experiment is repeatable and reproducible, and the simple concept is reasonably easy to show.

The rate of heat loss is determined by the temperature difference between the body and its surroundings.

The formula of Newton’s law of cooling

A method for determining the temperature of a material as it loses heat was devised by Sir Isaac Newton, a prominent physicist. In addition, the object’s heat is transported to the surrounding environment.

The rate of heat loss from a body is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the body and its surroundings, according to Newton’s law of cooling.

The law only applies to temperature changes of a few degrees. Moreover, the composition of the body’s surface and the extent of the outer surface determine the quantity of heat lost by radiation.

Therefore, the equation of Newton’s law of cooling is expressed as:

                                     dQ/dt = – k(T2 – T1)    

Where, 

T = temperature of the given body

T2 = temperature of the object 

T1 = temperature of the surrounding

 k = a constant which is positive that varies depending on the size and nature of the body’s surface under examination.

It also explains how the rate of cooling of an object is affected by the difference in temperature between the material and its surroundings, as well as the material’s cooling constant.

Convective heat transmission is covered by Newton’s equation of cooling, although thermal radiation is not.

Limitations of Newton’s law of cooling

Every law consists of both advantages as well as limitations. There are various limitations of Newton’s law of cooling. They are as followed:

  1. There is a difference between the temperature of the body and the surroundings which must be small.

  1. As far as heat loss from the body is concerned, only radiation should be used.

  1. A crucial limitation of Newton’s law of cooling is that the temperature of the surroundings must remain constant while the body cools.

Applications of Newton’s law of cooling

Newton’s law of cooling is applicable for various purposes and in various fields. They are given as follows:

  1. To estimate how long a hot object will take to cool down to a specific temperature.

  1. After a certain amount of time has passed, estimate the temperature of a liquid in a refrigerator.

  1. By comparing the expected body temperature at the moment of death to the existing body temperature, it is possible to estimate the time of death.

    Conclusion 

    On the basis of the above discussion, we can conclude that Newton’s Law of Cooling is useful in water heating research since it can tell us how quickly hot water in pipes cools. It can tell us how quickly a water heater cools down if the breaker is turned off when you go on vacation.  

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Frequently asked questions

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What are some common limitations in Newton's laws of cooling?

Ans. There are basically three major limitations in Newton’s laws of cooling,  ...Read full

What should be the average temperature gap for Newton’s law of cooling to be valid?

Ans. The average temperature difference between the temperature of the black body and the temperature of the surroun...Read full

What is the ultimate purpose of the application of Newton’s law of cooling?

Ans. The ultimate purpose to use Newton’s law of cooling in Physics is that it provides us with the equation that ...Read full

How is the role of Stefan’s Boltzmann Law different from Newton’s law of cooling?

Ans. Newton’s law of cooling becomes invalid and inapplicable when the temperature difference between two bodies e...Read full

Does volume play any role in the cooling process of a body?

Ans. Yes, it is evidently proved that the body whose surface area upon volume ratio is greater will get cooled firs...Read full