Smoke is a collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates and gases emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwanted by-product of fires (including stoves, candles, oil lamps, and fireplaces), but may also be used for pest control (cf. fumigation), communication (smoke signals), defensive and offensive capabilities in the military (smoke-screen), cooking (smoked salmon), or smoking (tobacco, cannabis, etc.). Smoke is used in rituals, when incense, sage, or resin is burned to produce a smell for spiritual purposes. Smoke is sometimes used as a flavoring agent, and preservative for various foodstuffs. Smoke is also a component of internal combustion engine exhaust gas, particularly diesel exhaust.
Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires. The smoke kills by a combination of thermal damage, poisoning and pulmonary irritation caused by carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and other combustion products.
Smoke particles are an aerosol (or mist) of solid particles and liquid droplets that are close to the ideal range of sizes for Mie scattering of visible light. This effect has been likened to three-dimensional textured privacy glass — a smoke cloud does not obstruct an image, but thoroughly scrambles it.
Read more about Smoke: Chemical Composition, Dangers of Smoke, Secondhand Smoke Inhalation, Measurement of Smoke, Medicinal Smoke
Other articles related to "smoke":
... The burning oil creates some heat, but more importantly, a lot of smoke, particulates, carbon dioxide, and water vapor ... Because of the voluminous clouds of oily black smoke they produce when cold, they must be lit outside ... If the damper is not closed, the choofa may choke itself with its own smoke, causing periodic "explosions" of unburnt gases in the chimney ...
... Smoke is a mutant villain in the Marvel Comics Universe ... Smoke was killed by Wolverine in X-Force #120 (September 2001), while attempting to kill Orphan ... Smoke had the ability to generate smoke clouds and various gases, including toxic ones ...
... Throughout recorded history, humans have used the smoke of medicinal plants to cure illness ... More than 300 plant species in 5 continents are used in smoke form for different diseases ... More importantly, generating smoke reduces the particle size to a microscopic scale thereby increasing the absorption of its active chemical principles ...
Famous quotes containing the word smoke:
“As far as I can see, this autumn haze
That spreading in the evening air both ways
Makes the new moon look anything but new
And pours the elm-tree meadow full of blue,
Is all the smoke from one poor house alone....”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“Than smoke and mist who better could appraise
The kindred spirit of an inner haze?”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“If in that Syrian garden, ages slain,
You sleep, and know not you are dead in vain,
Nor even in dreams behold how dark and bright
Ascends in smoke and fire by day and night
The hate you died to quench and could but fan,
Sleep well and see no morning, son of man.”
—A.E. (Alfred Edward)