The handle of a saucepan should be

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Thermal conduction through the handle must be minimized so the user can pick up the saucepan safely; therefore the handle should be a poor thermal conductor.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Thermal conductivity (k) measures how easily a material conducts heat: high k = good conductor (metals), low k = poor conductor/insulator (wood, plastic, bakelite).
- Fourier’s law for steady conduction in one dimension: q = k A (ΔT / L), where q is heat transfer rate, A is cross-sectional area, ΔT is temperature difference between pot and end of handle, and L is handle length.
- For safe handling you want q small so the handle stays cool.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- The saucepan body is heated; heat tries to flow into the handle by conduction.
- To keep the handle cool you minimize heat transfer q. From Fourier’s law that means using a small k (material with low thermal conductivity), and/or longer L and smaller A.
- Common safe handle materials (wood, plastics, bakelite, silicone) have low k, so they remain cool.

3) Calculation (intermediate steps)
- Example contrast: take ΔT = 200 K, A = 0.002 m^2, L = 0.10 m.
- For copper (k ≈ 400 W/m·K): q = 400 × 0.002 × (200 / 0.1) = 400 × 0.002 × 2000 = 400 × 4 = 1600 W.
- For wood (k ≈ 0.12 W/m·K): q = 0.12 × 0.002 × 2000 = 0.12 × 4 = 0.48 W.
- The wood handle conducts vastly less heat, so it stays much cooler.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- A poor thermal conductor (low k) prevents heat reaching the grip quickly, making it safe to hold during cooking.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- a. a good thermal conductor: wrong — it would make the handle hot and unsafe.
- b. a metal: wrong as a general statement — most metals are good conductors; without additional insulation a metal handle would get hot.
- c. a poor thermal insulator: this phrase means it does not insulate well (i.e., it conducts heat); that is undesirable.

6) Conclusion
- Therefore the best choice is d. a poor thermal conductor. This matches the provided correct answer.

The handle of a saucepan should be单项选择题

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