How to use the conductive heat flow calculator
Find the heat flowing up through the Earth crust from the thermal conductivity and temperature gradient. Enter thermal conductivity, temperature gradient in the fields above; the heat flow is computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “heat flow from Earth interior”, “geothermal heat flux”, “conductive heat flow”, “calculate conductive heat flow”, “find heat flow”.
Formula
Variables
- k — Thermal conductivity (W/(m·K))
- dT — Temperature gradient (°C/km)
Worked example
With thermal conductivity = 2.5 W/(m·K), temperature gradient = 25 °C/km, the calculator gives heat flow ≈ 62.5 mW/m².
Frequently asked questions
What is the conductive heat flow calculator used for?
Find the heat flowing up through the Earth crust from the thermal conductivity and temperature gradient. It helps with questions such as “heat flow from Earth interior”, “geothermal heat flux”, “conductive heat flow”.
What is the formula for the conductive heat flow calculation?
Heat flow (mW/m²) = k × dT. Here k is thermal conductivity (W/(m·K)), dT is temperature gradient (°C/km).
What inputs do I need for the conductive heat flow calculator?
You need thermal conductivity in W/(m·K), temperature gradient in °C/km. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the conductive heat flow calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the conductive heat flow result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.