A cylinder of radius R is surrounded by a cylindrical shell of inner radius R and outer radius 2 R . The thermal conductivity of the material of the inner cylinder is and that of the outer cylinder is . Assuming no loss of heat, the effective thermal conductivity of the system for heat flowing along the length of the cylinder is:
- (A)
- (B)
- (C)
- (D)✓ Correct
Answer: (D)
Solution
Heat flows along the length of the cylinder, so the inner core and the outer shell behave like two conductors carrying heat side by side, a parallel arrangement in which the conductances add. The effective conductance of the whole cross-section equals the sum of the two separate conductances, . The core has area and the shell has area , while the total area is . Substituting, , and cancelling gives , so .
JEE Main · 2019 · 12 Jan 2019 · Shift 1 · Single correct option