 Newton's law of cooling

Newton's law of cooling models an object's temperature $y$ using a positive constant rate $k$ and ambient temperature $T_a$. The displayed ordinary differential equation assumes one temperature represents the object, the environment remains at $T_a$, and the proportional rate stays fixed over the modeled range. It also describes warming when $y<T_a$. These are modeling assumptions: ^[ref] explain the proportional law through a tangent line approximation and caution about large temperature differences.

Dimensional analysis requires $k$ to have units of inverse time. The product $k(t-t_0)$ in the exponential function solution is therefore dimensionless. The equilibrium point $y=T_a$ attracts both warmer and colder starting states: the excess temperature undergoes exponential decay. See initial value problem for computed cooling times, direction field for the family of trajectories, and separable differential equation for a derivation.

Newton's Law of Cooling describes the rate at which an exposed body changes temperature through radiation and convection with its surroundings. Specifically, it states that the rate of heat loss of a body is proportional to the difference in temperature between the body and its environment, provided this temperature difference is small.