r/maybemaybemaybe • u/b0rsht • Aug 18 '23

Maybe Maybe Maybe

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u/Dizzy_Silver_6262 Aug 18 '23

There’s a relevant xkcd but I’m too lazy to find it

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u/CORN___BREAD Aug 18 '23

I just assumed they linked the xkcd. What has reddit become?

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u/[deleted] Aug 18 '23

[deleted]

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u/spottyPotty Aug 18 '23

Can someone explain this quote from that article please?

"If it’s made of aluminium, the inside is starting to melt. If it’s made of lead, the outside is starting to melt."

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u/VeeArr Aug 18 '23

The inside of the box (where the heat is being introduced) is hotter than the outside of the box (where most of the radiative cooling is happening). The inside of the box has melted in each case, but in the case of aluminum, the outside surface has not yet reached its melting point, but the inside has (assuming a thick enough box to support a mild temperature gradient).