Have you ever noticed that smoke follows you anywhere you go around a campfire? It’s like there’s a relentless puff of smoke that seems determined to track your every move. Well, have no fear! There are scientific explanations for why this happens. Let’s take a look at the science behind this phenomenon.
When you build a campfire, it produces heat that causes warm air to rise above the flames. As this occurs, the cooler air around the fire is drawn in due to the lower air pressure created by your body blocking the airflow path heading towards the fire. This causes more of the smoke and warmer air to be directed toward you.
Let’s take a closer look at physics at work.
Basic Physics
“Hot air rises…So when your campfire creates warm air, it will rise above it…The cooler air around the fire gets drawn in towards the rising air…Because you are near the campfire, your body blocks the path of the air heading towards the fire, which causes lower air pressure and thus pulling the rising smoke and warmer air towards you…” – Uriel_dArc_Angel; Reddit.
We think the user Uriel_dArc_Angel explained this concept perfectly. As the warm air rises, cooler air is drawn in as a result of lower air pressure near your body. This will suck the smoke towards you, creating that pesky campfire fog that inevitably follows wherever you move.
Smoke consists of tiny particles and gases, which have a lighter density than the surrounding air. This gives it a tendency to rise into the atmosphere due to gravity. But as mentioned earlier, when your body creates a block in the path of smoke’s natural flow, it causes some of the particles and gases to be re-directed toward you.
Heat Absorption
Another major factor in why the smoke follows you is due to heat absorption. When you move around the campfire, your body absorbs some of the heat from the fire. This causes your body temperature to rise, which causes more hot air to rise and be drawn towards you. One of the reasons behind this process is lower air pressure.
The smoke will move towards the warmer air, your body heat. That’s why it seems like the smoke follows you everywhere.
The Role of the Wind
Wind direction plays a significant role in determining where the smoke from a campfire will travel. When there is no wind, the smoke has nowhere to go. It typically rises straight up into the air above the fire. However, things get complicated on an evening with even the slightest breeze. The wind that blows towards the fire carries smoke along with it. That’s why it’s difficult for those near the campfire to escape its effects.
The wind can also change direction quickly and unexpectedly. You can find yourself surrounded by smoke cloud within seconds. Things become even more unpredictable when trees and bushes are present. Their leaves act as barriers to the wind and cause it to blow smoke in multiple directions.
It can be tricky to get rid of campfire smell in your hair, so using the tricks you have just learned will help.
Even one’s own movement can create a tailwind that sends billows of gray clouds toward whoever is standing closest. Any slight motion or gust of air can disrupt this equilibrium and send wisps of smoke chasing after anyone nearby.
The Effects of Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias also plays into why we are so sure that smoke follows us around a fire. Confirmation bias occurs when we focus on what confirms our preconceived ideas or beliefs while ignoring any evidence that contradicts them.
In this case, if we believe that the smoke follows us even though it may not be true, then we will notice every time it appears to do so while ignoring any instances when it doesn’t. This can lead us to make false conclusions about what is happening around us–like thinking that the smoke really does follow us.
Next time you are camping with a group of friends, try and pay attention to the fact that the vast majority of your friends will be complaining about the smoke that is following them. It’s highly unlikely that it is following all of them at the same time. Instead, it’s a great example of how easily our biases can lead us to make incorrect assumptions.
How To Prevent Smoke From Following You
Choose Your Firewood Wisely
As always, the type of wood you use for your campfire significantly impacts how much smoke it produces. Softwoods like pine and cedar are notorious for creating lots of smoke due to their high resin content. Hardwoods such as oak and maple, on the other hand, produce much less because they burn more slowly and evenly. If possible, try to avoid using softwoods in your campfires; hardwoods will give you a cleaner burning fire with much less smoke.
The Wind Is Your Friend
While it’s nearly impossible to control the wind, you can use it to your advantage when trying to avoid smoke. Keep an eye out for the direction of the wind and position your campfire accordingly. If the wind is blowing away from you, it will likely help keep some of the smoke out of your face.
You can also try to use any nearby trees or bushes as natural barriers that can redirect the smoke away from you. Just be aware that the direction of the wind can change quickly, so you may need to adjust your fire’s position accordingly.
Construct a Smokeless Fire Pit
Another way to reduce it is to build a smokeless fire pit. This can be done by lining the inside of the pit with stones or bricks and ensuring that there is enough airflow for the fire to burn efficiently. The more oxygen that reaches the fire, the less smoke it will produce.
Construct a Horseshoe Fire Pit
Additionally, a horseshoe-shaped fire pit is another excellent way to reduce campfire smoke. This type of fire pit is designed with a large stone at the peak of the horseshoe shape that acts as a sort of chimney. In the “entrance” of the horseshoe shape should be a clear path for the air to come into the fire. The large stone will create a barrier and push the smoke upwards, creating a “chimney” effect and reducing the amount that reaches your campsite.
Space Out Evenly
If you are camping with a group of friends, positioning your chairs around the fire in a circular formation will help disperse the smoke more evenly rather than concentrating it on one person. This will help create a balanced atmosphere where the smoke will go upwards instead of focusing on one person. Since the smoke will follow the largest cluster of people, spreading out your chairs evenly will help minimize the amount that follows you.
Sit Further Away
Not optimal for marshmallow roasting, but sitting further away from your campfire can also help reduce the amount of smoke that follows you. The further away you are, the more time the smoke has to disperse before it reaches you. If it’s too cold to sit at a distance, consider investing in a camping stove or fire pit that will keep you warm while also producing less smoke.
Utilizing some of these tips can help ensure that the smoke won’t follow you when camping with a group of friends.
Conclusion
All of these physical factors combined may explain why your marshmallow roasting sessions end up with a smoky face—which makes them far less enjoyable than they should be! But fear not: by understanding how physics affects our campfires, we can learn how to lessen their “smokiness” and ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time.
