Is it possible to read higher temperatures than mediums?

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A lab research assistant reported observing a metal immersed in water at a temperature reading of 90 degrees while the water was at a steady 50 degrees. This raised questions about the validity of the temperature reading, as it contradicts the second law of thermodynamics unless the metal was initially hotter and equilibrium had not been reached. Concerns were also raised about the accuracy of the thermometer used, which was a thermocouple, and whether it could have been malfunctioning. The discussion included humorous remarks about the reliability of lab instructors and the potential for miscommunication regarding the equipment. Overall, the situation highlights the complexities of temperature measurement in thermal dynamics.
Thermo
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I know it sounds nonsense but our lab research assistant said today we could read higher temperature of a metal inside a bath than that of water when it was immersed. For example water is steady and 50 degrees and we read a 90 degrees of an immersed metal. And we observed that. How can it be possible?
 
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He said because its atoms are closer to each other. But that explains the speed of heating not the temperature.
 
Unless there is some kind of chemical reaction taking place, that doesn't seem reasonable to me.
 
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It makes sense only if the metal was initially hotter and equilibrium has not been reached yet. Otherwise, it is a clear violation of the second law.
 
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DrClaude said:
It makes sense only if the metal was initially hotter and equilibrium has not been reached yet. Otherwise, it is a clear violation of the second law.
No metal was at room temperature and I am sure the room was not 90 celsius degrees.

Then our instructor was high or something...
 
Thermo said:
Then our instructor was high or something...
If you just knew some of the silly things lab instructors told me when I was a student...
 
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Hahaha yea only logical expression and also thermometer-thermocouple was possibly broken.
 
Thermo said:
Hahaha yea only logical expression and also thermometer-thermocouple was possibly broken.
What did it read when you pointed it at the palm of your hand? :smile:
 
Don't know exactly. I didn't touch it some other students did. But it was at 24 degrees which was the room temperature before it was immersed into bath. Water in bath was at 80 btw.
 
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Oh, it was a contact thermometer. I had assumed it was an IR imaging thermometer.
 
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It was a thermocouple connected inside the metallic cylinder.
 

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