Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Cross-sectional area refers to the measure of an object's surface area when cut perpendicular to its length or height. In physics, it plays an important role in determining how much heat can be transferred through conduction.
Related terms
Conductivity coefficient (k): A property that describes how well a material conducts heat.
Thermal resistance (R): The measure of how much a material resists the flow of heat.
Conduction pathway: The physical route through which heat is transferred, typically along a solid object.