A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why?

The phenomenon observed can be explained by mechanisms of heat transmission, notably by the conductivity principle. As a nail is a solid object made of metal, it appears to be a better conductor of heat than a potato, which mainly consists of water.

To be cooked, a potato’s internal temperature needs to reach a certain degree. A metallic object accelerates this process as more heat is delivered to the center. Thus, when inserted into a potato, a nail increases the heat transfer rate, consequently reducing the cooking time.

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Academic.Tips. (2023) 'A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why'. 9 March.

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Academic.Tips. (2023, March 9). A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why? https://academic.tips/question/a-potato-will-cook-faster-in-a-conventional-oven-if-a-large-nail-is-inserted-into-it-why/

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Academic.Tips. 2023. "A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why?" March 9, 2023. https://academic.tips/question/a-potato-will-cook-faster-in-a-conventional-oven-if-a-large-nail-is-inserted-into-it-why/.

1. Academic.Tips. "A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why?" March 9, 2023. https://academic.tips/question/a-potato-will-cook-faster-in-a-conventional-oven-if-a-large-nail-is-inserted-into-it-why/.


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Academic.Tips. "A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why?" March 9, 2023. https://academic.tips/question/a-potato-will-cook-faster-in-a-conventional-oven-if-a-large-nail-is-inserted-into-it-why/.

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"A potato will cook faster in a conventional oven if a large nail is inserted into it. Why?" Academic.Tips, 9 Mar. 2023, academic.tips/question/a-potato-will-cook-faster-in-a-conventional-oven-if-a-large-nail-is-inserted-into-it-why/.

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