Suppose you heat up an oven and boil a pot of water. Which of the following explains why you would be burned by sticking your hand briefly in the pot but not by sticking your hand briefly in the oven? The oven has a higher temperature than the water. The oven has a higher heat content than the water. The molecules in the water are moving faster than the molecules in the oven. The water has a higher heat content than the oven because of density. The water has a higher temperature than the oven.

The primary reason you would be burned by quickly sticking your hand into a pot of boiling water but not by briefly placing it in a hot oven lies in the **heat content** and **density** of the substances involved. **Explanation:** - **Heat Content and Density:** Water has a much higher density compared to air. This means that water contains more molecules per unit volume. When you put your hand in boiling water, these molecules transfer a significant amount of heat rapidly to your skin, causing a burn. In contrast, the air inside an oven has a much lower density, so fewer molecules are available to transfer heat at any given moment, making it less likely to burn you quickly. - **Heat Transfer Efficiency:** Water is also a better conductor of heat compared to air. This efficient heat transfer means that the heat from the boiling water is rapidly conducted to your hand, leading to a burn. Air, being a poor conductor, does not transfer heat as efficiently, reducing the likelihood of a quick burn when briefly exposed. Among the provided options, the statement that best captures this explanation is: **"The water has a higher heat content than the oven because of density."** **Final Answer:** The water has a higher heat content than the oven because of density.