True or False: A Styrofoam Cup is Keeps Your Drink Just as Warm as a Thermos?

Oct. 20, 2011 — -- False, a styrofoam cup cannot capture heat as well as a thermos container.

Many people carry around hot beverages without taking notice to the container they're holding. That is, until their drink has turned cold. Well, the styrofoam cup you're holding pales in comparison to a thermos container.

Thermos Container – Thermos' keep your beverage hot because it doesn't allow heat to escape the container. Fortunately, they're created this item with insulation at its core. Insulation does not conduct heat as well as other materials therefore the hot liquid you place inside the thermos will not drop in temperate as quickly.

Styrofoam Container – A styrofoam cup does a good job at keeping drinks hot. This is due to styrofoam being created from 95% air and the rest is from other good insulation properties. Air is considered a good tool for insulation.

Even though styrofoam containers are good insulators, made from mostly air, the thermos container is an even more effective model. By creating a double-walled container inside a thermos, forcing air to be removed from the space in between these walls, the heat from the hot beverage inside can no longer escape. This makes the thermos container a better insulator than a styrofoam container.

Source: http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/thermos.htm

http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/learn-thermoses-work/

http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-styrofoam.html