Final answer:
Rapid cooling is a method of cooling an object quickly by subjecting it to a temperature gradient. This is achieved by placing the object in contact with successively cooler heat reservoirs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rapid cooling is a method of cooling an object quickly by subjecting it to a temperature gradient. This is typically achieved by placing the object in contact with successively cooler heat reservoirs. The object loses small amounts of heat as it comes into contact with each cooler reservoir, allowing it to cool down rapidly.
For example, if we have a hot object and we place it in thermal contact with a series of cooler heat reservoirs, starting from a high temperature (Th) and gradually decreasing to a lower temperature (Tc), the object will lose small amounts of heat (dQ) to each reservoir, resulting in rapid cooling.