Why Does Metal Feel Colder Than Wood?

Two spoons—small things you use to eat—are in a kitchen all night. One is made of metal, like many keys. The other is made of wood, the hard part of a tree.

The metal spoon feels colder. But is it really colder? Usually, no. Both spoons are about as warm as the room.

Your hand is warmer than the spoons. When you touch them, heat moves from your hand into them. This makes your hand colder.

In metal, heat moves away from your fingers fast. It moves into the rest of the spoon. Your hand gets cold quickly.

In wood, heat moves more slowly. The part under your fingers gets warm, but heat does not move away quickly. Your hand loses heat more slowly.

So something can feel colder without being colder. Your hand cannot always tell you how hot or cold something really is. Never touch very hot things to find out.