Specific Heat Capacity of oven

In summary, the difference in rate of heat transfer between holding your hand in the air and touching a cake tin in a hot oven is due to the cake tin's lower specific heat capacity and its higher heat conductivity, which allows for faster heat transfer to your skin. This means that the cake tin requires less energy to raise its temperature and can transfer heat more efficiently compared to the air in the oven.
  • #1
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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  • #2
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.
 
  • #3
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...
 
  • #4
Shc? 1234567890
 
  • #5
huh lol? SHC=specific heat capacity
 
  • #6
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
 
  • #7
Think heat conductivity in addition to heat capacity.
 

Related to Specific Heat Capacity of oven

1. What is specific heat capacity?

Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree Celsius per unit mass. It is a measure of how well a material can store and release thermal energy.

2. How is specific heat capacity measured?

Specific heat capacity is measured by conducting an experiment where a known amount of heat is added to a known mass of the substance and the resulting temperature change is recorded. The specific heat capacity is then calculated using the formula Q = mcΔT, where Q is the amount of heat added, m is the mass of the substance, and ΔT is the change in temperature.

3. Why is specific heat capacity important in ovens?

Specific heat capacity is important in ovens because it determines how quickly and evenly the oven can heat up and how well it can maintain a constant temperature. Ovens with a higher specific heat capacity will require more energy to heat up, but will also be able to retain heat better and provide more consistent cooking results.

4. How does the specific heat capacity of different materials affect cooking in an oven?

The specific heat capacity of different materials affects cooking in an oven because it determines how much heat is needed to cook the food. For example, foods with a higher specific heat capacity, such as meats and vegetables, will require more heat and longer cooking times compared to foods with a lower specific heat capacity, such as bread or pastries.

5. Can the specific heat capacity of an oven be changed?

The specific heat capacity of an oven is determined by the materials it is made of and cannot be changed. However, the specific heat capacity of the food being cooked can affect the cooking time and temperature needed, so adjusting the cooking time and temperature can indirectly affect the specific heat capacity in the cooking process.

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