Equations · equation
Newton's Law of Cooling
Heat Transfer · 1701
- Equation
- dT/dt = −k·(T − T_env)
- Field
- Heat Transfer
- Named After
- Isaac Newton
- Symbols
- T temperature of the object · T_env temperature of its surroundings · k a rate constant set by surface, material, and airflow · t time
- Year
- 1701
Significance
A hot object cools in proportion to how much hotter it is than the room — so temperature decays exponentially toward the ambient. Published anonymously; still how coroners estimate time of death and how your coffee's temperature curve actually looks.
Referenced by
equation
skill
theory
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