Understanding the Temperature Difference of Metals and Other Objects

[Bassalisk]

Why are metals colder than other objects at room temperature? Or is my assumption wrong here. Whenever i touch a metal bar in my classroom i find it much more colder than my hand feels in the air.


I know that metals have heavy atoms, thus making oscillations of them very slow, frequency being low. This makes a quanta of energy very low, so it "disperses" all over metal. Am thinking right here? Is this why metals get heated very fast?

And let's say a book, it has light carbon atoms mainly. and it feels warm to the touch, much closer to the room temperature around them.

But here is my last question. Does temperature depend on frequency of the oscillations OR how much particles are actually oscillating? In carbon fewer particles are oscillating because quanta of energy is high(lighter atoms=higher frequency).

I hope i was clear

Thanks

 

[Sciurus]

I believe metals feel colder because they are better conductors of heat. Something feels cold because it lowers the temperature of your hand. You hand is probably warmer than room temperature (closer to body temperature), and when you touch a metal surface, the heat is transferred to the metal faster than if you touch a more insulating surface such as wood. Metal sucks heat away faster, but isn't necessarily any colder.

 

[Bassalisk]

I believe metals feel colder because they are better conductors of heat. Something feels cold because it lowers the temperature of your hand. You hand is probably warmer than room temperature (closer to body temperature), and when you touch a metal surface, the heat is transferred to the metal faster than if you touch a more insulating surface such as wood. Metal sucks heat away faster, but isn't necessarily any colder.

hmm u have a point there, 36 Celsius is not something to neglect. I understand why metals are great heat conductors, a lot of free electrons to transfer the vibrating energy but... I saw this video, that states that at room temperature, u need much more energy to change the temperature of heavy metal than let's say light element like carbon.

Because metal has low frequencies and there is enough energy for all atoms to vibrate. Unlike at carbons where u need very little energy to change its temperature, because of high frequencies. This brings me to the not so logic conclusion, that you will heat faster a insulator, than a metal...

 

[Sciurus]

hmm u have a point there, 36 Celsius is not something to neglect. I understand why metals are great heat conductors, a lot of free electrons to transfer the vibrating energy but... I saw this video, that states that at room temperature, u need much more energy to change the temperature of heavy metal than let's say light element like carbon.

I guess that makes sense. Essentially the video was saying the specific heat is higher for metals.

I can't really comment on the second part of your post, though, since I don't understand quantum physics very well yet.

 

[Bassalisk]

k i will w8 for someone senior on this..