THE MAGAZINE FOR COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
Circuit Cellar Online offers articles illustrating creative solutions
and unique applications through complete projects, practical
tutorials, and useful design techniques.

WHAT'S YOUR ENGINEERING QUOTIENT?

Problem 1—Why is aluminum the preferred material for heatsinks?

First of all, it's highly ductile and easy to form into the complex shapes required for heatsinks, usually by extruding a finned cross-section through a die and then cutting the resultant strip into convenient lengths.

Second, it has a relatively high "specific heat," which means that for a given amount of heat energy input, it has a relatively small temperature rise.

7-01 — NEXT Q&A