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[stolle]

So this last weekend was my yearly jaunt to see Tony Robbins, and probably the best so far

Comments

[nyarlathotim]

The science behind walking on hot coals:

Q/t = k A T / L

Where Q/t is the heat flow rate (J/s), k is the thermal conductivity of the metal, A is the surface area of contact, T is the temperature difference, and L is the length perpendicular to A where heat flows.

Wood has a very low thermal conductivity, between .16 and .40 W/mK. Compare this to steel (36 - 54 W/mK) or aluminum (205 - 237 W/mK). So, as can be seen, wood is simply a poor conductor of heat.

In addition, time spent on the coals is rather short, very little heat flows and the temperature change is minimal.

This is also why when you pull something out of a 400 degree oven, all the air doesn't burn you (air's thermal conductivity is .024 to .026 W/mK) but the pan will and most likely the delicious food that was in there.

[stolle]

On the other hand, how about YOU walk across a ten foot bed of them. They're still pretty fucking hot.

[nyarlathotim]

I'm just saying you're not violating physics, you just have to tell your brain to stop saying "IT'S FUCKING FIRE!"

[stolle]

Every year for the past three years somebody tells me that same thing. It's probably true(although I know a few people who actually HAVE been burned on them), but the common trait that everybody who's mentioned that has shared is that they've missed the point of the firewalk to begin with. Not that I can blame them, they wern't there.
The fact that it's done on the first night, after only about two hours preperation should say something about where it lies on the "significant events of the weekend" scale.