Asked by: Dennis Taylor, Newquay
When you tackle a really hot cup of tea, you will typically start with a noisy sip. This takes a very small amount of liquid into your mouth, mixed with a lot of air. The total thermal energy in the small volume is low and it is distributed over a wide area in your mouth. Each square centimetre doesn’t receive enough heat to burn the skin.
Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.
Authors
Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes.
