Stefan number
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The Stefan number, St or Ste, is defined as the ratio of sensible heat to latent heat. It is given by the formula
where Cp is the specific heat, ΔT is the temperature difference between phases, and L is the latent heat of melting. It is a dimensionless parameter that is useful in analyzing a Stefan problem. The parameter was developed from Josef Stefan's calculations of the rate of phase change of water into ice on the polar ice caps.
