Seat Belt Science: Why Does the Metal Part Get Hotter?

Why does the metal part of the seat belt get super hot while the cloth part of the seat belt is lower in temperature even though they are both in the same car heating up together?

Can you explain why the metal part of the seat belt heats up more compared to the cloth part?

Answer:

The metal part of the seatbelt gets hotter than the cloth part due to their differing thermal conductivities and heat capacities.

Explanation:

The reason why the metal part of the seatbelt gets hotter than the cloth part in the car, even though they are both in the same environment, has to do with their differing thermal conductivities and heat capacities. Metals, such as that used in seat belts, typically have high thermal conductivities, meaning they are good at transferring heat and can quickly absorb heat from the environment. Therefore, they can become super hot when the car is heating up. On the other hand, cloth or fabric materials have lower thermal conductivities. They are not as efficient in transferring heat as metals, thus they heat up more slowly and do not become as hot. In addition, the fabric part of the seatbelt has high specific heat capacity - meaning it can absorb a lot of heat before it actually feels hot.