Why Does a Cake Tin Burn You Faster Than Air in a Hot Oven?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the phenomenon of heat transfer, specifically why a cake tin burns skin faster than air in a hot oven. The key factor is the lower specific heat capacity of the tin, which allows it to transfer heat more rapidly to the skin compared to air. This is due to the tin's superior thermal conductivity, requiring less energy to reach thermal equilibrium. Consequently, touching the tin results in immediate heat transfer, leading to a quicker burn.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of specific heat capacity (SHC)
  • Knowledge of thermal conductivity
  • Basic principles of heat transfer
  • Familiarity with thermal equilibrium concepts
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the relationship between specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity
  • Explore the concept of thermal equilibrium in different materials
  • Study the effects of heat transfer in various states of matter
  • Investigate practical applications of heat transfer in cooking and materials science
USEFUL FOR

Students in physics or chemistry, culinary professionals, and anyone interested in the science of heat transfer and its practical implications in everyday situations.

danago
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Hey. Here is the question i was given:

"When you hold your hand in the air in a hot oven, it takes a while before it starts to burn, but if you touch a cake tin in the oven, it burns almost instantly. Why?"

It has to do with the lower specific heat capacity of the tin, which apparently results in the cake tin transferring heat at a much faster rate. My question is...why does a substance with a lower specific heat capacity transfer heat faster?

Thanks.
Dan.
 
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danago said:
Hey. Here is the question i was given:

"When you hold your hand in the air in a hot oven, it takes a while before it starts to burn, but if you touch a cake tin in the oven, it burns almost instantly. Why?"

It has to do with the lower specific heat capacity of the tin, which apparently results in the cake tin transferring heat at a much faster rate. My question is...why does a substance with a lower specific heat capacity transfer heat faster?

Thanks.
Dan.
Well this is because the cake tin is able to transfer heat faster to ur skin than the air because the air has a greater heat capaity than that of the tin. This therefore means that the tin requires less energy to rasie 1 degree than the air becasue it is a better conductor of heat.
 
I didnt really get any of that lol.

I know that the tin needs to transfer less energy than the air to reach a state of thermal equilibrium, since its SHC will be much lower. But for the burn to occur, it transfers this energy quite fast. Why does it do it so fast? faster than the air...
 
Shc? 1234567890
 
huh lol? SHC=specific heat capacity
 
danago said:
Hey. Here is the question i was given:

"When you hold your hand in the air in a hot oven, it takes a while before it starts to burn, but if you touch a cake tin in the oven, it burns almost instantly. Why?"

It has to do with the lower specific heat capacity of the tin, which apparently results in the cake tin transferring heat at a much faster rate. My question is...why does a substance with a lower specific heat capacity transfer heat faster?

Thanks.
Dan.

The heat source will have to heat up the air before you could feel the temperature, or get burned by it.

While when you simply touch the cake tin, heat directly transfers to yr finger, that's why you get burnt instantaneously
 
Think heat conductivity in addition to heat capacity.
 

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