Ask-a-Physicist by Topic
Thermodynamics & Heat
A friend of mine claims to notice that when he takes a hot frying pan (with a warm, insulating handle), and pours cold water into it, the handle seems to get hotter. He thinks it is because the handle is less insulating than the air, thus the path of least resistance is through the handle.
This would make sense to me when you take the pan off of the heat, but he claims that it isn't until the water hits it that the handle gets significantly hotter. If this is true, what does the water have to do with it? If anything, wouldn't the water become the path of least resistance, and heat would move from the metal to the water, and from the handle to the air?
Find out the answer »
How can 'greenhouse' gases transfer heat to the earth's surface? Doesn't that mean energy is being transferred from something low energy to something at a higher energy? Does this theory violate thermodynamics law? Find out the answer »
Does an ice cube have heat energy (kinetic energy)? If so, does a glass of water with ice have more heat energy than a glass of water without ice?
Find out the answer »
What are the advantages and disadvantages of convection ovens over standard ovens? – KK, Rochester, NY Find out the answer »
Why does my older farmhouse feel warmer and seemingly easier to heat the colder it gets outside? I live 20 minutes north of Maine, which should give you an idea what kind of winter temperatures we have to endure. - JS, Greenfield, New Brunswick, Canada Find out the answer »
Why do mylar balloons lose or seem to lose helium when taken outside in the cold and blow back up or seem to blow back up when you take them back in where it is warm? — TS, Alabama Find out the answer »
We're confused about the difference between fluorescent and halogen bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are classified as hazardous waste because they contain mercury. Do halogen bulbs also contain mercury? - LR and APM, Washington, DC Find out the answer »
What causes the smoke produced when you extinguish a candle flame?— SB, Plymouth, England Find out the answer »
