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The molecular structure (metallic bonding) makes it a very poor conductor of heat, so we perceive it as cold when we touch it. I think.

This is almost correct. The reason why you perceive the aluminum to be colder is that it is a good conductor of heat. Therefore, when you touch it, the aluminum readily absorbs heat from your skin at such a rate that the average temperature at the surface of your skin becomes somewhere between room temperature and body temperature. Your nerve endings detect this and register "cold". Same thing occurs when you immerse your hand in water. However, when you remove your hand from the water, you can often experience an even colder sensation. In lay-terms, this has to do with additonal energy being taken from your skin to facilitate evaporation. This is also why alcohol feels "cold" when wiped onto your skin while it evaporates.

So, contact with solids (including immersion into liquids) will feel cold because of conduction whereas evaporative contact with various liquids will feel cold because of the heat required to facilitate the evaporation.

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13y ago
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4mo ago

Aluminum is cooler than ambient temperature because it has higher thermal conductivity, meaning it can quickly transfer heat away from the surface. When in contact with a cooler environment, the aluminum will absorb the heat from its surroundings and dissipate it, which makes it feel cooler to the touch.

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Q: Why is aluminum cooler than ambient temperature?
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