Thermal feel of metal vs wood – Rankers Physics

Heat Transfer - Conduction and Convection: Practice Problem & Solution

In winters, a metal surface feels cooler upon touching than a wooden surface because
Metal has high specific heat capacity as compared to wood
Wood has high specific heat capacity as compared to metal
Metal has high thermal conductivity
Metal has low thermal conductivity

Solution Explained:

To solve this problem, we apply the core principles of Heat Transfer - Conduction and Convection. Understanding the underlying formula is key to arriving at the correct answer below:

Metal is a much better conductor of heat than wood. When touched in winters, heat is rapidly conducted away from our hand to the metal surface, making it feel colder.

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