Question

The tea is poured into a ceramic teacup and a metal spoon is placed in the tea to stir it. The cup warms but the handle of the cup stays cool. The spoon also warms but even the part that is sticking out of the cup gets very warm as well. Explain the difference between these two substance based on the type of bonding that reflects how they conduct heat.

Answer 1

The property that measures how easily heat is transmitted through a material is called thermal conductivity. For ceramics, factors such as internal porosity, grain boundaries and impurities can affect this property. Higher or lower levels of thermal conductivity can be attained in Fine Ceramic materials by controlling these factors. As the cup is made of ceramic and it has lower thermal conductivity so that the handle of the cup stays cool.

As the metal is a good heat conductor, and there is some part inside the liquid and other outside, it should help with the heat transfer. So the spoon also warms but even the part that is sticking out of the cup gets very warm as well.