Thermal physics question, is there an equation for this?

[The Fish]

Hello everyone! My science fair project is going to be about looking at the relationship between power (or energy) running through a coil of copper wire and the heat dissipated or the rate of temperature increase.

I realize that it is important to factor in the effects of the air temperature on the coil, the air is constantly taking thermal energy away from the copper wire.

The rate at which thermal energy is transfered from the coil to the air is proportional to how hot the coil is right? I know it's not linear.

Are there any equations that exist to predict the magnitude of the heat loss that the air causes? Is there any way to find that with the information I have? (Air temperature, specific heat capacities, and the temperature of the coil.)

[flamicecream]

I think you'd want to use Q=mcΔt for that where Q=thermal energy, m=mass of the coil, c=specific heat of the coil, and Δt=change in temperature

[Social_life>IB]

if you define the energy in a system as being that of the coil and the air, then you should be able to produce a theoretical "yield" or temperature that the coil will reach considering the amount of energy given (which you know).

So if you look at it Q=mcΔT, push in the numbers and you get a value for ΔT. Then you can perform your experiment and measure the actual ΔT. From that you can measure the amount of energy transferred to your surroundings (the air). Q=mcΔT (of coil in experiment) and you will find a smaller value for Q, and the difference between that and the amount of energy given is the energy given to the air. Repeating this for different amount of energy given (ie. periods of time) you should be able to plot a relationship between amount of energy given to the coil and amount of energy dissipated.

if that kinda makes sense haha its very early in the morning for me