Suppose you had 4 spoons the same size and shape made out of glass, plastic, steel, and wood. Which spoon handle would get hot the quickest when the spoons are placed in a warm pan of hot water? the steel spoon the glass spoon the plastic spoon the wooden spoon

The steel spoon would get hot the quickest.<br /><br />Here's why:<br /><br />* **Thermal Conductivity:** Steel has much higher thermal conductivity than glass, plastic, or wood. Thermal conductivity is a measure of how efficiently a material transfers heat. A material with high thermal conductivity will quickly transfer heat from one end (in the hot water) to the other (the handle).<br /><br />* **Insulators vs. Conductors:** Steel is a good conductor of heat, while wood and plastic are insulators. Glass is a better conductor than wood and plastic, but significantly less so than steel. Insulators resist the flow of heat.<br /><br />Therefore, the steel spoon will transfer the heat from the water to your hand much faster than the other spoons.<br />