Intuitive perceptions of relative energy quantities and a doughnut hole

We have recognized for quite a while that some learners intuitively underestimate the amount of thermal energy involved in some scenarios (ex. block sliding to a stop).  For some reason the amount of thermal energy increase in the floor and block does not seem adequate to account for the decrease in kinetic energy.  I recently was introduced to another discrepant energy event which might suggest that in some scenarios learners underestimate chemical energy relative to thermal/light energy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2CFSrazKTg

(skip to 1:20 if you want)

In stark contrast to the sliding block scenario, here there seems to be much more thermal energy than is reasonable to account for the chemical energy in the donut hole.  I wonder if this is related the Brain Rules concept that our brains have evolved to attend to potential threats.  The sliding block could hurt me but the warm floor could not.  The flaming donut hole could hurt me but the chemical energy in the donut hole could not.