Ultrimode - Putting Your Hand in Molten Lead
Steve and Jake got ultra-moded tonight. While discussing the physics behind walking over red-hot coals, I mentioned that the principle that keeps you safe is similar to the physics behind being able to put liquid nitrogen in your mouth or being able to put your hand in molten lead and not get burned.
Everyone jumped on this and said there is no way you could put your hand in molten lead and not get burned. I said you get your hand a little wet, dip it in and you will be fine.
Steve started making up some scientific theory about how the atoms are vibrating too fast and lead is too dense to blah blah blah. He was very sure of himself as if he had just read it out of a book. Jake thought it would not be possible either, because other metals are capable of vaporizing human flesh.
Everyone had a great time making fun of me. "Oh yea," they said, "let's go dip our hands in hot lava and we won't be burned!" "I've put my hand in hot cheese and been burned!" Hahaha, Sam is such an idiot.
And everyone like to point out how much I love to argue. You know what, I don't love to argue, people love to say and defend idiotic points they know nothing about around me and say I'm stupid if I don't admit they are right.
Well, too bad for Steve and Jake, turns out you CAN put your hand in molten lead. When I showed them it was true, they were suddenly not so interested in telling me I was wrong anymore. Except Steve, who seemed to want to say I was wrong even in the face of evidence.
Go see the modedation here and vote it up!
Why would I just make something up like being able to put your hand in molten lead if I didn't actually know what I was talking about?
Sam, you are right I am
Sam, you are right I am wrong. Did anyone else notice how argumentative this post was??
If I were there I would've
If I were there I would've totally backed you up.
The principle is simple. Steam makes for a very good insulator. When a wet surface (a wet hand or moist tongue) contacts a very hot surface (considerably above the boiling point of water), the moisture at the point of contact boils and becomes steam. As long as there is enough moisture to produce enough steam the wetted surface is insulated from the heat.
This can be observed when a drop of water hits a hot frying pan. The drop of water will dance around and sizzle, but remain as a visible drop of water until it is entirely evaporated. The steam that forms at the base of the drop insulates the rest of the drop from being boiled away intstantaneously.
This is why you can stick your hand in molten lead for a moment without getting burned.
The reason people can walk on hot embers is due to insulation as well. As long as the hot coals have a good build up of ash on the outside, they are safe to walk on. Ash is a very good insulator. The tiles on the space shuttle are very similar to comman ash or fire coals.
If you would like to learn more, too bad. I've exemplified my dorkyness/nerdiness. But if you realy do want to learn more and beg me I can send you some of my thermo labs from CSU.
I again state: You were
I again state: You were right, but I don't really care. You cited wikipedia as a source of this information. Can anyone blame me for being skeptical?
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