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Will my tea cool more quickly if it is left out at room temperature, or if my hands are cupped around the mug?

Hillary Shaw

Newport, Shropshire, UK

Logically, your hands will cool the tea faster. The tea will be at about 80°C (176°F), with the air at say 20°C (68°F). Your hands will be just below core body temperature, say at 35°C (95°F), so not that different from the air. However, water (the main component of human body tissue) is a much poorer insulator than air, so your hands will conduct heat from the cup faster than the…