• Rustmilian@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I guess this does count as a more gradual example of thermal stratification where 35C is the thermocline layer.
    However, by this definition, thermal stratification would still occur after applying conventional bottom-up heating by letting it sit and settle for some time allowing gravity to sort by density resulting in a very similar stable thermal stratification pattern.
    You’d have to be constantly mixing or never take of the heat source to prevent this stable thermal stratification pattern from occurring.

    • nBodyProblem@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      I don’t think that is the case. A stratified fluid, in the absence of continued energy exchange with the outside environment, will eventually reach a homogenous temperature distribution due to diffusion.

      That said, even if you are were correct, in the context of brewing tea we would only have a few minutes of brew time in which the stratification would have an impact on the extraction.

      • Rustmilian@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        will eventually reach a homogenous temperature distribution due to diffusion.

        Both would occur at the same time, infact much of the diffusion would be at the surface of the liquid because of the hotter atoms traveling up and it being an easier point of escape than going through the container.

        in the context of brewing tea we would only have a few minutes of brew time in which the stratification would have an impact on the extraction.

        Would stratification even matter in either case?
        You still have to dunk the tea bag in, or pour the liquid, whichever way you do it. The only way I see this effecting tea extraction is if you microwave it with the tea bag included; and even then I’ve never noticed the difference.