Why is it that things feel ''hot''?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Biologik
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of how we perceive heat, specifically addressing the mechanisms behind the sensation of "hot" and "cold." It includes considerations of atomic and electronic behavior, as well as the roles of different heat transfer methods.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the sensation of heat may relate to electrons in higher orbitals emitting infrared radiation.
  • Others argue that the feeling of "hot" or "cold" is primarily due to nerve responses in the body.
  • A participant notes that infrared radiation is one of the three forms of heat transfer, emphasizing that most heat encountered through touch is conductive, involving kinetic energy from agitated atoms rather than electron behavior.
  • Another participant supports the idea that touching a hot object involves a significant difference in kinetic energy (KE) between the object and the body, which can lead to permanent alteration of atomic bonds, as in the case of burns.
  • Additionally, there is a reminder about the role of radiative heat, particularly in the context of hot surfaces like a stove emitting significant infrared radiation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the primary mechanisms behind the sensation of heat, with no consensus reached on the relative importance of electronic behavior versus nerve responses and heat transfer methods.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the nature of heat transfer and the mechanisms of sensation, which may not be fully explored or defined. There are also unresolved aspects regarding the interplay between different forms of heat transfer and their contributions to the sensation of temperature.

Biologik
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Does it have to do with the electrons spinning at higher orbitals and emitting Infared radiation?
 
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Well it's essentially nerves that are responsible for the feeling of "hot" or "cold".
 
Biologik said:
Does it have to do with the electrons spinning at higher orbitals and emitting Infared radiation?
IR is one of the three forms of heat transfer. It's radiative.

Most heat we enocounter when touchung something is conductive - it is simply kinetic energy in the form of agitated atoms bouncing around, i.e. not so much at the electron level.
 
Dave is right. When we touch something 'hot' (like a stove) the atoms of the object we are touching have a much higher KE than the atoms in our body. If the KE difference is high enough, the atomic bonds in our body can be permanently altered (destroyed) from the interaction. An example of this is burning your hand on a stove.
 
dreiter said:
Dave is right. When we touch something 'hot' (like a stove) the atoms of the object we are touching have a much higher KE than the atoms in our body. If the KE difference is high enough, the atomic bonds in our body can be permanently altered (destroyed) from the interaction. An example of this is burning your hand on a stove.

But don't forget - in particular because of the stove example - about radiative heat. That red hot element is putting out a lot of it.
 

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