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The fact that near boiling water cools down quicker than warm water used to be a well-known kitchen knowledge bit. Like my grandma who wasn't a physicist at all knew it. I guess in some places (particularly those where people microwave water) that part of culture is lost cause there's at least a whole generation which hasn't done cooking.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpemba_effect


I remember mentioning this to my high school chemistry teacher and was told I was wrong. I think I even lost points on a test.


It's because you was wrong (or at least not correct). The Mpemba Effect wasn't scientifically proven, and can be explained away with error in measurement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkH2iX0rx8U


That video is also, outdated.

A reliable way of reproducing the effect was found in 2021. [0] Though the precise cause is still unknown.

[0] https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-021-00349-8


Then I was wrong, at least until further research into the topic. Such is the tale of science.


What is meant by "cools down quicker"?

Will near-boiling water drop 10 temperature points in a shorter time than the warm water? Yes.

Will it reach 10C faster than the warm water? No.


No?

Today's your lucky day, you get to learn about the Mpemba effect.

(Although the why of the effect is disputed, the trivial counter to your point is that boiling water loses mass quickly so there's less mass to cool)




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