Experiment - 4: Aim of The Experiment

EXPERIMENT – 4
AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT: -
To determine the coefficient of thermal conductivity of a bad conductor by lee and charlton’s
disc method
BY: - ANISH KUMAR

GAURAV
AMAY
HARSH
Apparatus required: -
 Lee’s disc apparatus consist of a metallic disc resting on a deep hollow
cylinder(steam chamber) of same diameter
 Circular disc of the specimen of a bad conductor (ebonite or card - board)
 Stop watch
 Two thermometer
 Boiler
 Heater
 Screw gauge
 Vernier caliper
Lee’s and Charlton’s apparatus: -
 The apparatus shown in above Figure consists of two parts. The lower part B is circular metal disc.
 The experimental specimen G, usually rubber, glass or ebonite is placed on it. the diameter of G is
equal to that of B and thickness is uniform throughout.
 A steam chamber is placed on B. The lower part of the steam chamber, A is made of a thick metal
plate of the same diameter as of B. The upper part is a hollow chamber in which two side tubes are
provided for inflow and outflow of steam.
 Two thermometers T1 and T2 are inserted into two holes in B and A respectively.
 The complete setup is suspended from a clamp stand by attaching threads to these hooks.
 Two good conductivity metal discs (of the same metal) and allow the setup to come to equilibrium,
so that the heat lost by the lower disc to convection is the same as the heat flow through the poorly
conducting disc.
Theory: -
Thermal conductivity (k), is the property of a material that indicates its
ability to conduct heat.
 Conduction will take place only if there exists a temperature gradient in a solid (or stationary fluid)
medium.
 Heat moves along a temperature gradient, from an area of high temperature and high molecular
energy to an area with a lower temperature and lower molecular energy.
 Conductive heat flow occurs in direction of the decreasing temperature because higher temperature
is associated with higher molecular energy.
 This transfer will continue until thermal equilibrium is reached.
Fourier’s Law expresses conductive heat
transfer as: -
H= kA(T2- T1)/x - (1)
Where
H is the steady state rate of heat transfer
k is the thermal conductivity of the sample
A is the cross sectional area
(T 2 – T1) is the temperature difference

across the sample of thickness ‘x’
When steam flows for some time, the temperatures recorded (𝑇1 and 𝑇2)
gradually remain steady. This is the steady state. Let at the steady state
temperature of C = 𝑇1
temperature of B = 𝑇2
surface area of G = A (=𝜋𝑟2)
conductivity of G = k
thickness of G = x
Hence amount of heat flowing through G per second, H is given by eq. (1). When the
apparatus is in steady state (temperatures T1 and T2 constant), the rate of heat
conduction into the brass disc C is equal to the rate of heat loss from the bottom of it.
The rate of heat loss can be determined by measuring how fast the disc C cools at the
previous (steady state) temperature T1 (with the top of the brass disk covered with
insulation). If the mass and specific heat of the lower disc are m and s, respectively and
the rate of cooling at T1 is dt/dt then the amount of heat radiated per second is
H= m*s*dT/dt -(2)
From equation (1) and (2), we get
k= (m*s*(dT/dt)*x)/( T2-T1)*A)
Procedure: -
 Fill the boiler with water to nearly half and heat it to produce steam.
 Put the specimen, steam chamber etc. in position and suspend it from the clamp stand.
Insert the thermometers T1 and T2 in position.
 Pass steam from the inlet of the cylindrical vessel and wait till the steady state is reached.
This will take 30-40 minutes to reach the steady state.
 Temperatures recorded in the thermometers will show a rise and finally will be steady at T1
and T2. Then, wait for 10 minutes after reaching the steady state to confirm that actual
steady state is reached or not. Note the steady temperatures indicated by the thermometers
T1 and T2. Interchange the thermometers T1 and T2 and again note down the temperature
readings
 Remove the steam chamber and the specimen G. C is still suspended. Heat C directly by
the steam chamber till its temperature is about T1 + 10°.
 Remove the steam chamber and wait for 30-60 seconds so that heat is uniformly distributed
over the disc C.
 Place the insulating material on C. Start recording the temperature
at intervals of 30 seconds. Continue till the temperature falls by
10°C below T1.
 Plot a graph between temperature and time.
 Take weight of C by a weighing balance. Measure the diameter of
the specimen by using vernier calipers. Calculate the surface area,
𝐴=𝜋𝑟2.
 Measure the thickness of the specimen by screw gauge. Take
observations at 3 or 4 spots and take the mean value.
Observations: -
1. Details of sample G: -
(a) Diameter using vernier callipers
SL NO. DIAMETER (CM) MEAN DIAMETER (CM)
surface area of G (A) =

(b) Thickness (using screw gauge): -
least count=
pitch=
SL NO. Reading 1(cm) Reading 2(cm) Difference(cm) Mean (cm)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2. Details of lower disc B
(a) mass of disc = m
(b) specific heat of the material =
3. correction of thermometers
(a) Room temperature recorded T1=
(b) room temperature recorded T2 =
so, correction of thermometer(θ) = T2-T1
4. Steady temperature
(a) Temperature of A =
(b) Temperature of B =
Taking thermometer in to account, the difference T2-T1 =

Observation for cooling curve: -
No. of 1 2 3 4 5 Till
observatio temperatur
ns e fall 10c
bellow T1
Time (sec)
Temperatur
e T1
Graph: -
Using the data from Table – 3, plot the cooling curve (time versus temperature) and
determine the slope dT/dt = ΔT/Δt at the steady temperature T1.
Calculations: -
Coefficient of thermal conductivity (k)=
k=(m*s*(dT/𝑑t)*x)/(T2−T1)
Precautions and sources of errors: -
 Don’t record T1 and T2 unless they have remained steady for at least 10 minutes
 The tangent to the cooling curve should be done very carefully. An error in dT/dt will result
in a wrong result for k.
 The radiation loss only due to the surface of G in contact with C is taken into
account here while there is some loss at the edges. Therefore, the diameter of
the specimen disc S should be sufficiently large than its thickness.
 Since room temperature might change during the course of the experiment, it is
advised to complete the experiment quickly.
References:-
https://egyankosh.ac.in
https://www.nitj.ac.in/
http://www.iiserpune.ac.in/

Experiment - 4: Aim of The Experiment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Experiment - 4: Aim of The Experiment

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Experiment - 4: Aim of The Experiment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

EXPERIMENT – 4

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT: -

BY: - ANISH KUMAR

k is the thermal conductivity of the sample

A is the cross sectional area

(T 2 – T1) is the temperature difference

surface area of G = A (=𝜋𝑟2)

surface area of G (A) =

(a) mass of disc = m

(b) specific heat of the material =

(a) Room temperature recorded T1=

(b) room temperature recorded T2 =

so, correction of thermometer(θ) = T2-T1

Taking thermometer in to account, the difference T2-T1 =

You might also like