The bottom of the computer gets very hot

I just got this macbook pro MC721ll/a. The bottom of the computer gets very hot as it is sitting on my lap. I have never had a mac before but I don't think it should be doing that. Also, I don't hear any fans running. Is this normal?

The OS keeps the fans at a minimal speed because running them any faster would needlessly use extra energy and make more noise.  Manually setting your fan speed won't wear out the fans because they're brushless AC fans (so they're not subject to any significant mechanical wear as they spin).  One thing to keep in mind about SMC FanControl: Apple engineers spent a great deal of time, and probably money as well, designing the cooling systems for the computer (both in terms of the physical systems, and the algorithms that control the fans and regulate the voltages of the components).  In addition, Intel CPUs have their own separate temperature monitoring systems which will severely throttle or even shut down the CPU if temperatures get dangerously high.  So even in the extremely unlikely event that your fans ever actually spin too slowly, the computer will still shut itself off before anything bad happens.
And to answer your first question, it is definitely normal for the bottom of the Macbook to get hot because the body is made from aluminum, one of the best thermal conductors known.  Basically the bottom acts as a heat sink, allowing the Macbook to cool off more efficiently and run faster.  Most other manufacturers make the bodies of their laptops from plastics, which conduct heat about as well as fiberglass insulation or a mink coat.

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