Why The Ice Melts Faster On The Metal Block

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I believe the ice melts faster on the metal block because it gives off more thermal energy than the plastic block; although the metal block is formed more kinetic energy than the plastic block, even when the metal block ‘feels colder’. Common sense dictates that the cold thing is supposed to sustain the ice block for a longer time, just like your refrigerator does. So why does the opposite happen?
The temperature of the metal block is presumed to be colder than the plastic block, but in reality, it is actually warmer. I know this because when one object comes in contact with another object, it loses or gains heat till their temperatures get equal. Which object loses heat and which one gains it, is decided by their relative temperatures. In case of ice and metal, ice has a lower temperature than metal. Therefore, here, ice gains heat from metal till they attain the same temperature and ice melts. Also, metals like copper, gold, and aluminum give off more kinetic energy than any plastic block would. …show more content…

This is the parameter which decides which objects lose heat quickly and which ones do it slower. In this experiment, for instance, metal has a higher thermal conductivity than plastic. Hence, the metal block gives away heat to the ice block faster than a plastic block does. As a result, ice melts faster on a metal block than on a plastic one. Incidentally, this effect can also be used to explain why one block feels colder than the other, in our hands. Our brains are tricking us into thinking that the metal block is colder than the plastic block. Think of it like this, the ice is replaced by our hand. So, a metal block, due to its better thermal conductivity, draws heat faster from our hand than a plastic plate. This makes us feel that the metal block is colder than the plastic one, but when we put a thermometer in it, it is the exact same