Sipping hot tea or milk faster from a saucer rather than a cup is primarily due to two reasons:
- Increased Surface Area: The saucer has a larger surface area compared to the cup. When the hot liquid is poured into the saucer, it spreads out over a larger surface area, which allows it to cool down more quickly. This increased surface area facilitates faster heat dissipation, making the liquid cooler and more comfortable to sip.
- Greater Surface-to-Volume Ratio: Because the liquid spreads out in the saucer, it has a greater surface-to-volume ratio compared to when it’s contained within a cup. A higher surface-to-volume ratio means there is more surface area relative to the volume of liquid, which enhances heat transfer to the surrounding air through convection and evaporation. This results in quicker cooling of the liquid in the saucer, making it more palatable to sip.
Overall, the combination of increased surface area and greater surface-to-volume ratio in the saucer allows hot tea or milk to cool down faster, enabling us to sip it more quickly without burning our mouths.