How come aluminum foil doesn't get hot...?

Question

When you cook something, lets say a pizza, in the oven, and you put it on aluminum foil rather than a cookie sheet....how come the aluminum foil isn't too hot to touch when you go to pull it out?

Answer 1

I just had to laugh at everyone saying that Aluminum is a poor conductor of heat. It's a wonderful conductor!!! That's one of the reasons why we use it in cook, i.e. pots and pans?! Some people are confusing THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY with SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY.

For one thing, aluminum foil is very thin. When you open the oven, it quickly cools the foil down.

There is something called "specific heat capacity". It's basically states that certain molecules, materials, etc... can store a certain amount of energy... Heat.

Water has a high SHC, while aluminum is relatively low.
A block of water, a block of aluminum, and a block of air in an oven at a temperature of 350, water will hold more heat out of the three, followed by air, then aluminum.

Answer 2

I just learned this one in Creative Living in school on Friday. Like when you put a piece of ice in aluminum foil and wrap it up and put it in the microwave it will come out still a piece of ice un-melted because the microwaves bounce off of the aluminum foil.

Answer 3

It does get hot - however, aluminum disperses heat faster than tin or steel, so it cools down to the point where you can handle it faster.

Answer 4

different metals transfer heat differently, and aluminum isn't a metal that is a good conductor. So just because it's a metal doesn't mean it will get hot.

Answer 5

aluminum doesn't hold heat. Heat passes right through it. Where as other metals can get real freaking hot!

Answer 6

aluminum is a poor conductor of heat, and being foil, and extremely thin, even a poorer conductor of heat.

Answer 7

it does get hot, but aluminum disperses heat quicker

Answer 8

becuase its not a conductor of heat.

Answer 9

It's hot to me!!!