Soldato
So while I'm sat here sipping my slightly-too-hot coffee before work, I started pondering the factors that might affect the rate at which it cools.
Mainly, the timing of the adding of milk.
My thoughts are as such:
You have a cup of coffee which is too hot and you are going to leave it to stand for 10 minutes to cool.
At what point should you add the milk to achieve the optimum cooling performance?
My scientific mind suggests that the most efficient method is to leave the coffee black until the last possible moment. In doing this, the temperature differential between the coffee and surroundings is higher, meaning the energy is lost quicker, and then when you add the milk it obviously drops further.
E.g. it loses 4c through the atmosphere and a further 4 when the milk is added.
I'm also however thinking that it makes no difference, as when adding the milk at the beginning of the waiting period, there is a higher differential, so the coffee loses 5c to the milk, however then goes on to only lose 3c to the environment as the differential is then far lower.
There are also of course the arguments that coffee should be taken black (I agree unless it's instant), or that one should drink tea (these people would have course be wrong).
So, over to you, oh great minds of OcUK, please unite and solve this query for me
Mainly, the timing of the adding of milk.
My thoughts are as such:
You have a cup of coffee which is too hot and you are going to leave it to stand for 10 minutes to cool.
At what point should you add the milk to achieve the optimum cooling performance?
My scientific mind suggests that the most efficient method is to leave the coffee black until the last possible moment. In doing this, the temperature differential between the coffee and surroundings is higher, meaning the energy is lost quicker, and then when you add the milk it obviously drops further.
E.g. it loses 4c through the atmosphere and a further 4 when the milk is added.
I'm also however thinking that it makes no difference, as when adding the milk at the beginning of the waiting period, there is a higher differential, so the coffee loses 5c to the milk, however then goes on to only lose 3c to the environment as the differential is then far lower.
There are also of course the arguments that coffee should be taken black (I agree unless it's instant), or that one should drink tea (these people would have course be wrong).
So, over to you, oh great minds of OcUK, please unite and solve this query for me
