×

A sphere, a cube and a thin circular plate, all made of the same material and having the same mass are initially heated to a temperature of 3000°K, which of these will cool fastest?

A sphere, a cube and a thin circular plate, all made of the same material and having the same mass are initially heated to a temperature of 3000°K, which of these will cool fastest?

Explanation
  • The rate of cooling follows Newton’s Law of Cooling, which depends on surface area.
  • The thin circular plate has the largest surface area-to-volume ratio.
  • This allowing it to lose heat faster than the cube or sphere.