Question

Which of the following combination of properties would be most desirable for a cooking pot?

• A. high specific heat and low conductivity
• B. low specific heat and high conductivity
• C. high specific heat and high conductivity
• D. low specific heat and low conductivity

Hint:

For cooking pots, high specific heat and low conductivity are ideal for retaining heat while preventing rapid heat loss.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the concept.
The ideal properties for a cooking pot should maximize heat retention while preventing quick heat transfer to the outer surface. High specific heat allows the pot to absorb more heat before its temperature rises, and low conductivity ensures that the heat remains concentrated at the bottom and does not escape quickly to the outer surface.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
(1) high specific heat and low conductivity: This combination is ideal as it allows the pot to heat up slowly, retaining heat inside and ensuring even cooking.
(2) low specific heat and high conductivity: This combination would cause the pot to heat up and cool down rapidly, making it inefficient for cooking.
(3) high specific heat and high conductivity: While the pot can retain heat, high conductivity would cause the heat to dissipate quickly, making it less efficient.
(4) low specific heat and low conductivity: This combination would result in the pot not heating up enough, making it ineffective for cooking.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The best choice is (1) high specific heat and low conductivity, which ensures better heat retention and slow, even cooking.