A metal plant stand on a wooden desk feels colder than the world around it... why?

Question

At room temperature

Answer 1

Metal's a conductor, so it conducts heat away from your hand. Wood's an insulator, so it makes you feel its heat.

Answer 2

metal, for the lack of better words, reflects heat at normal room temperatures and seems colder to the touch while things like wood absorb temperature around it seeming normal to the touch. It has to do with melting temperatures/stabalization temperatures. Since metal changes form at a much higher temperature at regular room temperatures it is cold to its relative temperature.

Kind of like thinking how 70 degrees but humid feels hotter than 90 degrees and not humid. Air temperature feels relative to the amount of moisture it is holding. The moisture "Absorbs" heat from its surroundings therefore seems hotter, less moist air reflects heat therefore feels cooler. Of course there is an equalization formula which is where weathermen get the phrased wind chill on the cold side and heat index on the hot side.