FSAE Race

Thermal Conductivity

Thermal conductivity

The ability of a material to conduct heat.

Specific heat

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a material by a certain amount.

Whats the benefit of Thermal conductivity for brake rotors

Prevents the rotor from overheating and warping, which can lead to brake fade or failure. 

Whats the benefit of Specific heat for brake rotors

it prevents the rotor temperature from rising too quickly during heavy braking, giving the rotor more time to dissipate the heat it absorbs. 

relationship with high heat and high thermal conductivity

A rotor with high thermal conductivity and high specific heat will perform the best, as it can absorb a lot of heat and then quickly spread and release that heat to the surroundings.

why do we use [mega-pascals])s for Yield Tensile Strength & Ultimate Tensile Strength?

We use megapascals (MPa) for yield and ultimate tensile strength because:

• These properties measure stress (force/area).

• The SI unit of stress is the pascal (Pa).

• Megapascals give practical, readable values for real materials.

Yield Tensile Strength (causes warping)

The max stress a material can withstand before deformation

Ultimate tensile strength (causes crazing)

The max stress a material can withstand before it breaks