An engineer must select a solid material to serve as a lightweight radiator plate…
PHYSICS · Single correct · CBSE · Physics · Thermal Properties of Matter · Thermal Properties of Matter
Problem
An engineer must select a solid material to serve as a lightweight radiator plate that will carry thermal energy away from an electronic component on a satellite. The table lists properties of four candidate materials.
Material — Thermal conductivity k (W/(m·K)) — Density (kg/m³)
Aluminum alloy — 205 — 2700
Copper — 390 — 8960
Graphite composite — 1400 — 1600
Stainless steel — 50 — 8000
If high thermal conductivity and low mass are equally important, which material is most appropriate for the radiator plate?
(a) Copper
(b) Aluminum alloy
(c) Stainless steel
(d) Graphite composite