Thermal Resistance Equation
Reference from the original Physics I textbook.
- Thermal Resistance Equation
R = thermal resistance per unit area (m²·K/W); L = thickness (m); k = thermal conductivity (W/(m·K)). Total thermal resistance is L/(kA), in K/W.
- Related Glossary Terms
Conduction Rate Equation, Conduction Rate with Steady-State Equation, Thermal Conductivityⓘ, Thermal Resistance
- Index
Reviewed physics notes (1)
These corrections keep the original lesson’s purpose while fixing errors in the source edition.
- L/k has units m²·K/W, not m·K/W. — Reference 1
Glossary and deeper reading · 1 refreshers
These editorial refreshers supplement the reading. Definitions and examples are added guidance; original source wording and recorded answers remain in their original context.
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Thermal conductivity
Thermal conductivity measures how readily a material conducts energy through a temperature gradient. It is a material property with units watts per meter per kelvin, distinct from the sample’s heat capacity or thickness. For example, a metal and an insulating foam slab of the same dimensions can have very different conduction rates.