Heat Conduction Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator applies Fourier's law of heat conduction, Q/t = k·A·ΔT/d, to find the rate of heat flow through a material, where k is the material's thermal conductivity (a property specific to each substance — copper conducts far better than wood or fiberglass insulation), A is the cross-sectional area, ΔT is the temperature difference across the material, and d is its thickness. A higher conductivity, larger area, bigger temperature gap, or thinner material all increase the rate of heat transfer.

Building engineers and architects calculating heat loss through walls, windows, or roofing to size heating and cooling systems, materials scientists comparing insulation products, and physics and engineering students working through heat-transfer problem sets use this. Enter the material's conductivity, area, temperature difference, and thickness to get the conduction rate.