Don't Try This At Home

Okay, this is my warning.  What follows is the theory behind something.  I am in NO way endorsing that you try this.  If you do try it, it is not my fault.

www.learnthermo.com

How to walk on fire:

First, let me explain boiling. Thermodynamically, boiling occurs when a solid surface in contact with a liquid is at a higher temperature than the saturation temperature. Saturation temperature is the point when the liquid has absorbed as much heat as it can. Any more and it vaporizes.  On that nifty diagram to the right, everything to the left of the arched curve is a liquid.  Everything under that arched curve and is shaded is a liquid-vapor mixture.  Point 1 is a saturated liquid.  Boiling occurs as soon as we go from point 1 on the graph to the right, and become a mixture.

There are three modes of boiling: convective, nucleation, and film boiling. Convective boiling occurs just when the surface temperature is above the saturation temperature of the liquid. Convective currents form (think wavy heat lines that you see rising from blacktop on hot days) and carry the "boiled" liquid towards the surface until it's cooled.  Nucleation boiling is when the bubbles start to form.  There is no clear point that defines the separation of these first two.  First there aren't bubbles, then there are.  The last, and most awesome, (and relevant to my point) is film boiling.  Film boiling is when there is a vapor layer separating the surface from the liquid. Think of a long thing bubble covering the bottom of the entire pot.  Because air/vapor is an excellent insulator, heat is no longer transferred into the liquid, instead the surface temperature of the pot increases until the heat transfer overcomes the insulation and the temperature of the liquid starts to rise again. (There's a nifty graph that illustrates this too but short of me drawing one, I don't have one)

What does this have to do with walking on fire, though?

There is moisture on your skin.  Presumably, if you are going to attempt this for the first time, there's a lot of moisture due to perspiration from nervousness.

When you step onto the fire, the moisture goes through the first two modes of boiling and arrives at film boiling.  You get a nice insulating layer in between your foot and the coals.

Tread softly, and carry a big stick because if you stand for a prolonged period of time, you go passed film boiling and the insulating layer disappears and you'll want to pole vault off the fire.

Oh, and you need a $^@%&* hot bed of coals.

(Kids, don't say $^@%&*.  And please, please don't try walking on fire)

One of Life's Lemons:

As witnessed in a hotel room.

 What makes a Nathan:

Chilling out. I love just sitting around or wandering with no agenda and no cares. (no homework) It has it's place. There's a point where this becomes boredom, then you better add some sort of agenda or it could lead to trying to walking on fire. Until then, it can clear your mind, realign your thoughts, take you to some deep, dark corner of your head you forgot was there...

I don't have the liberty to do this much anymore, more specifically right now, but it sure makes me appreciate it. My recommended places to try it:

around a fire, just sitting

wandering around bookstores

running (what else do you have to do while moving)

walking

friends living rooms (this occurs when they think that there's an awkward silence or that you're bored. They often try to fill this void. Silence is golden)

I guess I should add at this point that most of these occur alone or in silence.

Ahh... Silence.