Why Does Metal Feel Colder Than Wood?
On a cold morning, touch a metal railing and then touch a wooden surface.
The metal feels much colder.
But here is the surprise: if both have been in the same room for several hours, they are probably at almost exactly the same temperature.
So why does metal feel colder?
The answer is heat transfer.
Metal is a very good conductor of heat. When your warm hand touches it, heat flows rapidly from your hand into the metal.
Wood is a poor conductor. It does not carry heat away from your hand as quickly.
Your nerves sense the rapid loss of heat and your brain interprets it as “cold.”
The metal isn't necessarily colder.
It simply takes heat from you faster.
This is why a metal chair can feel cold while a wooden chair in the same room feels comfortable.
It is another little reminder that what our senses tell us is not always the whole story.
Temperature is one thing.
How quickly heat moves is another.
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