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- Sep 14, 2020
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i don't mean to have to get the last word, but the air isn't a better conductor of heat than a metal
the air is able to cool things quickly via convective cooling
when you 'attach metal to your feet', you put something on your feet capable of conductive cooling
that larger surface area is then prey to greater convective cooling from the air
(cooling is generally conductive, convective, radiative, or evaporative)
if you look at the conductivity values, air is many times less conductive than aluminum
it is just that wind blows, which then causes convective cooling, but we've all noticed that
when you stand on metal, the heat from your feet tries to warm the entire structure and the wind then hits the metal and moves the heat into the air, making room for more heat from your feet to the metal...you've basically 'enlarged your feet' with the metal so that convective cooling happens more quickly
specific heat capacity also plays a role (why 50 f water feel colder than 55 f air)
insulators largely work by trapping air, due to the properties of air, and not allowing it to move, which would cause cooling via convection
Bring in the science guys.
Of course CF will feel warmer than aluminum, but can we quantify the heat transfer delta?
Is it sooo great that CF/Fiberglass/thermoplastic/etc. will result in a significant feeling of "warmer feet"?
I've stood on exactly 0 CF platforms. @Samcirrus has.