An apparatus to visually and electronically observe the transient
temperature changes in a heat-conducting body, and a method for teaching
heat conduction to students incorporating the apparatus. The apparatus
includes a heat-conducting body, and a pair of electric strip heaters
attached to adjacent sides of the heat-conducting body for conducting heat
therethrough. A pair of heat exchangers are attached to sides of the
heat-conducting body that are opposite to the sides the electric strip
heaters are attached to. A thermochromic liquid crystal sheet is provided
on a top surface of the heat-conducting body and displays the transient
heat conduction through the heat-conducting body. An insulating plate is
located above the top surface of the heat-conducting body to create a gap
between the thermochromic liquid crystal sheet and the insulating plate. A
plurality of thermocouples are attached to a bottom surface of the
heat-conducting body for measuring the transient heat conduction within
the heat-conducting body.
