Fire crackling why

Eventually, the wood gives way and will split to release this gaseous steam into the fire. The sound you hear is the sound of what is actually a mini-explosion that results in the wood rupturing. Typically, logs have a somewhat less than uniform structure. As well as having many microscopic pockets within, there are likely to be a series of knots and voids.

When combustion gases build up in one of these larger areas, they can generate sufficient pressure to cause a slightly greater explosion that can be strong enough emit a loud crack as it shoots a piece of burning wood debris some distance from your fire. So, although you may hear lots of lovely crackling, this type of wet firewood will fail to generate a decent volume of heat. It will instead generate a lot of smoke and leave unwanted sooty deposits in your chimney or stove.

It will however generate a far greater heat output and emit much, much less smoke and soot. For a pungent scent, juniper and cedar are ideal. A uniquely rich scent is produced by white oak, and black walnut has a pleasingly nutty aroma. Fir, spruce, and pine can fill your home with the smell of a Christmas tree, but these logs contain a lot of resin, which contributes to creosote build-up in the chimney.

Not only does fir and pine smell like Christmas trees, these types of logs create a pleasant crackle and pop in your fire. These are softwoods which dry quickly, are easy to split, and create lovely crackling fires. Before burning fir or pine, be aware that the popping throws a lot more sparks than other firewood.

Softwoods create a pleasant fire that doesn't generate a lot of heat, but typically produces a nice crackling fire. Softwoods make great starter wood. The logs ignite quickly and burn quickly. A study which sought to determine which type of firewood causes the most creosote buildup in chimneys showed that seasoned softwood burns more cleanly than hardwood.

If you want the most efficient fires possible, burn hardwood. A truckload of hardwood weighs much more than the same sized truckload of softwood and provides twice the heat.

Hardwood logs are best for cooking and producing fires which are hotter and more intense. In short, hardwoods are the most efficient kind of firewood, they burn longest, and they produce the most heat. Hello there, Derpy-Chan!

We think it's great you already knew why wood crackles! Do you like hanging out by campfires? We sure do!! We totally agree, Mrs. Quinn's Class! We do love making and eating s'mores. There are 23 of us who like eating them and one who does not like eating them. We love making and eating s'mores too, Mrs.

Check back for more Wonders of the Day! That's a great question, Kaedyn! Have you ever seen a great big bonfire? We think it probably depends on how you build the camp fire and what types of wood and other materials you burn. It seems like long pieces of wood help make tall flames!

It can be a pretty relaxing sound, Isabelle! We always enjoy watching the flames of a campfire dance around too! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website?

Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Why does wood crackle when it burns? Why does wood burn? What chemical reactions take place when wood burns? Tags: See All Tags burn , chemistry , fire , flame , science , wood. Wonder What's Next? Tomorrow's Wonder of the Day is brand new…and really, really old! Be sure to check out the following activities with a friend or family member: There's no better way to learn even more about how wood crackles when it burns than to build your very own fire!

You'll need the help of an adult friend or family member. You'll need some wood and tools to start a fire. You can start a fire in your fireplace at home, if you have one, or you could use an outdoor fire pit, too. Follow your supervising adult's directions carefully as you help to build a fire. Once you have a fire going, sit back and enjoy it. Can you hear the wood crackle and pop? Explain to your friends and family members what's going on!

You know one of the best things about a fire? It produces heat! What can you do with that heat? One of our favorite things to do with heat from a fire is to cook hot dogs and roast marshmallows.

So once you get your fire going, grab some hot dogs and marshmallows and enjoy the best benefits of your fire! Want to test out what you learned today? After you get a good fire going, try out different types of wood in the fire. Compare dry wood to a piece of wood you've soaked in water for several minutes.

What differences do you see in the way the two types of wood burn? Does one make more crackling and popping sounds than the other? Why is that? Have fun explaining these different reactions to a friend or family member. Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words fire steam sap smoke fuel ash raging tingle distinct decompose char vaporize kayaking spontaneous ignition combustion cellulose volatile Take the Wonder Word Challenge.