[Leisha]

Leisha asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I live in a cold state in the US, down to -21 wind chill sometimes. When I put on my gloves most times my fingers feel colder than they did before I put my gloves on. Why is this? Could my gloves be an insulator?

PS. The same thing goes for my woolly socks.

Thanks, love the show,
Leisha

What do you think?

[Karsten]

How about mittens? Same feelings?

Do you wear a hat when you wear your gloves?

Are your hands numb when without gloves?

[Karen W.]

This is a common problem with me also... especially when I am already frozen. Adding gloves a that point make me colder initially until my body temp can adjust to the new layer.

Now if I put them on inside when I am warm....I can stay Much warmer without that freezing.

My personal opinion is that they trap cold in as well as keeping more cold out.... I have to rub and rub my hands to warm them inside the gloves.

Great Question and welcome to the forum. Hope I hope you enjoy and find all the answers you seek.

[Madidus_Scientia]

When you first put the gloves on, the gloves being cold themselves, will draw heat from your hands much better than the air will. They are an insulator yes, they will slow the transfer of heat from your hands to the air.

Eskimos use igloos made from ice as insulators, but I bet they're far from warm when you first walk into one.

[Don_1]

Are you wearing these.........

[Karen W.]

 I like the good leather ones then I cut off fingertips for the three berry picking fingers....

Keeps yor hands less poked and scratched up and stained....

[Lincon]

Hi,
   This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.

Joe

newbielink:http://www.hayesheating.com/dept.asp?d_id=20964&l1=20964 [nonactive]

[Chemistry4me]

However Leisha seems to feel colder. []

[Madidus_Scientia]

Hi,
    Wearing gloves makes the hands hot. They create the warmth in the body which helps to keep the surroundings cool.


Joe

What?

No, your body temperature makes your hands warm. Gloves act as an insulator to slow the transfer of heat from your hands to the environment.