Final answer:
The cup feels warm when a hot liquid is poured into it due to the increased kinetic energy and more vigorous vibrations of its particles, caused by heat transfer from the liquid. The cup's temperature increases as the particles collide more frequently, and this process is known as conduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a hot liquid is poured into a cup, the cup will soon feel warm due to the process of heat transfer. The heat from the liquid increases the temperature of the cup, which causes the particles that make up the cup to move more vigorously. As the particles vibrate more quickly, they have a higher average kinetic energy (KE). An increase in temperature reflects an increase in the thermal energy content of the cup's material.
The temperature change due to the absorption of heat leads to more frequent collisions among particles within the cup, which manifests as the cup feeling warm to the touch. This is a result of energy being redistributed where heat moves from the hotter liquid to the cooler cup. Conduction is the primary mode of heat transfer in this situation, leading to an increase in the cup's temperature.
If the temperature continues to increase without any phase change, such as melting, then this added thermal energy simply results in a higher temperature of the cup. A practical example of the effect of heat transfer is the fact that sugar dissolves more rapidly in hot water because the increased movement of water molecules helps to break apart the sugar more efficiently.