Why can metal utensils get hot to touch when you are cooking with them?

Here's how it works:

* Conduction: When you heat a pot or pan on the stove, the heat energy is transferred from the stovetop to the metal. Metals are excellent conductors of heat, meaning they allow heat to flow through them easily.

* Direct Contact: The heat in the pot or pan then transfers to the metal utensil through direct contact. The closer the utensil is to the heat source (like the bottom of the pan), the faster the heat transfer will occur.

* Increased Temperature: As the utensil absorbs heat, its temperature rises. This is why the utensil feels hot to the touch.

Factors that affect how hot a metal utensil gets:

* Type of metal: Some metals, like copper, are better conductors than others, like stainless steel. So, a copper utensil will heat up more quickly than a stainless steel one.

* Thickness of the utensil: A thinner utensil will heat up faster than a thicker one.

* Length of exposure to heat: The longer the utensil is in contact with the heat source, the hotter it will get.

Important note: Always use caution when handling hot utensils. Use oven mitts or pot holders to avoid burns.