heat energy

[elliott01]

why are teapots made out of shiny metal

[naz_nomad]

Like my china one?

[jake-the-peg]

The answer you're probably being asked for is because it reflects heat back in rather than radiating it out.

But (and this is a big but) it's metal which makes it a very good conductor of heat so although this is a good design from the point of view of radiatio it's a bad design from the point of view of conduction .

As Naz says teapots are often made of china even though metal is cheap and easy to make - China conducts very little heat and so is preferable to metal from a heat loss point of view.

However a metal teapot wont chip or break easily which is the real reason metal teapots are used - especially in cafes or restaurants

[AB Editor]

To keep the heat in on the inside I would have thought?
Submitted By: behappy87 Date Submitted: Mon 25/09/06 18:27
 
Apart from china or pottery ones, you mean?
Submitted By: WaldoMcFroog Date Submitted: Mon 25/09/06 21:35