Question

A steel fork and a plastic spoon are both at the same temperature. The fork feels colder when you touch it. This is because:

Answer 1

Answer: The fork feels colder when you touch it because Steel conducts thermal energy better than plastic. The correct statement is 1

Explanation:

The ability of a material to transfer heat energy in an environment is known as thermal conductivity. It feels cooler to touch a steel spoon than a plastic spoon found in the same temperature because steel which is a type of metal is a highly efficient thermal conductor than spoon which is a plastic.

Metals can be defined as those substances which forms positive ion in a chemical reaction by lossing it's electrons. It has the following properties:

--> it is solid at room temperature

--> it has high melting point

--> it has high boiling point and

--> it is malleable.

Metals are said to be good thermal conductor because they contain free flowing conduction electrons. Therefore, when you touch a steel spoon and plastic spoon, it feels cooler because the steel metal is able to conduct heat away from your hand faster than the plastic which is a poor conductor of heat.

Answer 2

Answer:

1. Steel conducts thermal energy better than plastic.

Explanation:

Both objects are at the same temperature, and when you touch them, you feel the steel to be colder.

This happens because steel is a better thermal conductor, then when you touch it, it "steals" more thermal energy from you than the plastic.

As the amount of thermal energy transmitted is greater for the steel, you will feel it to be colder.

Then the correct option is the first one, steel conducts thermal energy better than plastic.