We can feel heat and cold but we can’t really see it. What is actually happening and why do we prefer a specific temperature?
In: Physics
In its most basic form, heat is motion. When things get hot, it’s because the atoms that make up those things are excited and caused to move.
Cold is fun because it definitely exists but it also doesn’t. A thing is cold when it’s atoms are moving less.
When excited atoms from something interact with, say your hand, they excite the atoms in your hand and begin to increase their motion. This would feel warm/hot until the motion equalizes.
If the atoms in your hand are moving faster than those in the object it will feel cool/cold and the atoms in your hand will excite the atoms in the object until the motion of the atoms in both is equal.
Fun fact this is why the universe is doomed. Feel free to correct/add I’m surely no expert.
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