Wednesday 9 March 2022

How fast should I burn my gas?

 

The gas canister is almost empty and the pressure is low. Does it make any difference whether I let the gas burn full or go for a more restricted flow? This must alter the power because if less gas comes out every second fewer joules will be released. The stove heats the kettle and the water. The the hot metal also heats the air around it. If the energy flow into the water matches the flow from the system out into the air, I think we would reach thermal equilibrium. So I'm wondering if I run the gas lower whether it would be more likely to reach some kind of thermal equilibrium and stall in terms of temperature rise. I need to think about the equations for heat output from the kettle into the air.