1. What is Thermal Conductivity?

Thermal conductivity is a material property that indicates its ability to conduct heat. It is defined as the quantity of heat transmitted through a unit thickness in a direction normal to a surface of unit area, due to a unit temperature gradient under steady state conditions.

2. How Does the Conversion Work?

The calculator uses the conversion formula:

Where:

• \( k_{old} \) — Original thermal conductivity value
• \( k_{new} \) — Converted thermal conductivity value
• Conversion Factor — Multiplier specific to the unit conversion

Explanation: The calculator first converts the input value to the base unit (W/m·K) and then converts it to the target unit.

3. Common Units of Thermal Conductivity

Details: The most common units for thermal conductivity are:

• W/m·K (Watts per meter-Kelvin) - SI unit
• cal/cm·K·s (calories per centimeter-Kelvin-second)
• BTU/h·ft·°F (British Thermal Units per hour-foot-degree Fahrenheit)
• kCal/h·m·K (kilocalories per hour-meter-Kelvin)

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the thermal conductivity value, select the original unit and the target unit. The calculator will provide the converted value.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the most commonly used unit?
A: W/m·K is the SI unit and most commonly used in scientific literature.

Q2: Why are there different units?
A: Different industries and regions have historically used different unit systems (metric, imperial, etc.).

Q3: How accurate are the conversions?
A: The conversions are mathematically exact based on defined relationships between units.

Q4: Can I convert between any units?
A: Yes, the calculator supports conversion between all listed units.

Q5: What materials have high thermal conductivity?
A: Metals like silver (429 W/m·K) and copper (401 W/m·K) have very high thermal conductivity.