Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Surface temperature measurement alone is insufficient to establish the hazard to the human of contact with a hot or cold object. A metal surface is more likely to cause thermal injury than a plastic surface at the same temperature. An instrument equipped with a measuring probe has been developed for indicating the temperature that would be experienced if human contact were made with the hot surface in question. The correct value of interface contact temperature can be read for a selected contact time without knowing the composition or temperature of the heated material under test.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Louis A. Marzetta (1974) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: