Engineering
Physics
Conduction of Heat
Question

Six identical conducting rods are joined as shown in figure. Points A and D are maintained at temperature  of 200°C and 20°C respectively. The temperature of junction B will be ( in degree  C):

  

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Solution

This is a heat conduction problem involving a symmetric network of identical rods. Since all rods are identical, their thermal resistance is equal. The system is symmetric about the central axis through B and C. Therefore, points B and C are at the same temperature, and no heat flows between them. We can thus treat the network as two parallel paths from A to D.

The effective resistance from A to D is calculated from the parallel combination: 1Reff=12R+12R=1R, so Reff=R.

The total temperature difference is 200°C-20°C=180°C. The temperature drop from A to B is half the total drop across the effective resistance R, because the path A-B-D has a resistance of 2R. Therefore, the temperature at B is 200°C-180°C2=110°C.

Final Answer: 110