Adding milk first increases the volume to heat and lowers average temerature, but adding it afterwards seems to have similar effects. How can you compare the two?
Thermodynamics – What is More Efficient: Add Milk, Then Heat Up Coffee in the Microwave, or Microwave Then Add Milk?
heatthermodynamics
Best Answer
;-) recipe:
0: get a watch, a thermometer, two equal doses of milk and two of coffee and a microwave. As you have a computer to make the annotations, a pen and a stencil are not needed.
1 : write down a proper definition of 'efficiency', choose one at your will.
2 : do the proposed first experiment, time the results and the temps. Taste ;-)
3 : do the proposed second experiment reversing the order, time the results and the temps. Taste ;-)
4 : compare the resultant temps and tastes (is a bit subjective but it is important) with the settled goal (efficiency deffinition).
5 : kindly let us know your conclusion.
You may think that I am making fun, but it is not so. The experimental way, when available, is the best solution. You have a courious mind, dont stop. A personnal learning process is good.
To be more rigourous one can invent a physical model (between point 1 and 2) to advance a candidate outcome. But the point 1 is allways indispensable.
end of recipe ;-)