Thermal Radiation of a steel ball

AI Thread Summary
A steel ball feels hotter than a piece of charcoal at the same temperature due to its higher thermal conductivity, which allows it to transfer heat to the skin more efficiently. This sensation is primarily due to conduction, as long as the objects can be touched without causing burns. Metals are less effective at radiating heat compared to other materials, which is not a factor in this scenario. The rapid warming of the skin occurs because the metal deposits heat into the hand more quickly. Therefore, the perception of heat is influenced by the material's conductive properties rather than thermal radiation.
Samujawal
Messages
8
Reaction score
2
Why does a steel ball appear hotter than a charcoal piece at the same temperature when picked up by bare hands?
 
Science news on Phys.org
That has nothing to do with the thermal radiatiuon.
Metals are actually worse at radiating heat.
As long as you can touch objects, without burning yourself, conduction is the dominant heat transfer process.
The metal just has a higher thermal conductivity so it "deposits" more heat into your hand in a given amount of time.
That is why it feels hotter.
Your skin gets warmed faster.
 
  • Like
Likes Delta2 and Samujawal
Tazerfish said:
That has nothing to do with the thermal radiatiuon.
Metals are actually worse at radiating heat.
As long as you can touch objects, without burning yourself, conduction is the dominant heat transfer process.
The metal just has a higher thermal conductivity so it "deposits" more heat into your hand in a given amount of time.
That is why it feels hotter.
Your skin gets warmed faster.
Many many Thanks...
 

Thread 'Condensate rate of water for an air conditioning cooling coil'

I need to calculate the amount of water condensed from a DX cooling coil per hour given the size of the expansion coil (the total condensing surface area), the incoming air temperature, the amount of air flow from the fan, the BTU capacity of the compressor and the incoming air humidity. There are lots of condenser calculators around but they all need the air flow and incoming and outgoing humidity and then give a total volume of condensed water but I need more than that. The size of the...
View full post »
Thread 'Why work is PdV and not (P+dP)dV in an isothermal process?'

Thread 'Why work is PdV and not (P+dP)dV in an isothermal process?'

Let's say we have a cylinder of volume V1 with a frictionless movable piston and some gas trapped inside with pressure P1 and temperature T1. On top of the piston lay some small pebbles that add weight and essentially create the pressure P1. Also the system is inside a reservoir of water that keeps its temperature constant at T1. The system is in equilibrium at V1, P1, T1. Now let's say i put another very small pebble on top of the piston (0,00001kg) and after some seconds the system...
View full post »

Similar threads

I How do emissivity and absorptivity affect thermal imaging results?"
Replies
3
Views
3K
Thermal radiation in transparent objects
Replies
5
Views
2K
Metals as Infrared Reflectors and their Temperature
Replies
1
Views
2K
Questions About Stephan's Law of Thermal Radiation
Replies
5
Views
2K
A Average temperature in a greenhouse
Replies
2
Views
2K
Question about thermal radiation
Replies
2
Views
1K
Clarification about Kirchhoff's law of thermal radiation
Replies
6
Views
2K
B Cooling effect of evaporation occurs even if the surroundings are colder?
Replies
10
Views
2K
I Paradox: Thermodynamic equilibrium does not exist in gravitational fields
3
Replies
135
Views
6K
When/How does thermal radiation stop (if it stops) and conduction
Replies
13
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top