Reducing Unwanted Energy Transfers Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

How does lubrication reduce unwanted energy transfer in a gearbox?

Oil reduces friction between the moving parts, so less energy is wasted heating the surroundings.

How does thermal insulation in the walls of a house reduce unwanted energy transfer?

It has a low thermal conductivity, so energy is transferred out of the house more slowly.

What effect does increasing the thickness of a building's walls have on its rate of cooling?

Thicker walls give a slower rate of cooling.

True or false? A material with a higher thermal conductivity is the better insulator.

False. The better insulator has the lower thermal conductivity.

What does the thermal conductivity of a material describe?

How easily energy passes through the material by heating.