eli5: Why can hydro flasks (and all other thermoses) keep liquids cold for longer than they can keep them hot?
In: Other
An ice-cold drink is really like ~40 degrees F (4 degrees C). Ambient room temperature is around 70F (21C). That’s the temperature gradient between the inside of the vacuum insulated container and the room around it.
Whereas, a hot drink or soup, is best served at around 200F (93C). That means that there is a much larger difference between the inside of the container and the room around it.
Whenever one gradient (difference) is larger than the other, that gap will close faster regardless of the container’s insulating capabilities.
If you put a cold drink in a 200F oven, then the cold would warm up faster than the warm would cool off.
It’s all about calculating the difference between up the inside and outside temperatures. The closer they are, the more stable the inside temperature will be for a longer time.
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