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Which best explains why metal cooking utensils often have plastic coating on the handles

User Muratoner
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2 Answers

2 votes

Answer:

Plastic reduces the transfer of thermal energy to hands holding the utensils.

Step-by-step explanation:

User Stanislav Stoyanov
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6 votes
Metal solids contain a positively-charged cation surrounded by a "sea" of delocalised, negatively-charged electrons.

The electrons are able to move freely, and hence transfer kinetic energy throughout the implement at a much quicker rate than non-metals.

Plastic is made of non-metals (Mostly carbon and hydrogen) and therefore is a poor thermal conductor.

Therefore, by coating the metal utensil in plastic, the rate of heat energy transfer to the person in contact's hand is decreased.
User McGiogen
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