Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
1–10 of 78 posts
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#2Clearly for better protection against monsters
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#3I did not realize that things like sheets, blankets and pillows used to cost serious money.
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#4> "I barely know what a BTU is"
Neither does anyone else, its one of those archaic units that changes slightly based on who is using it and hangs on in oil and gas industries, and also air conditioners and heaters.
It was defined as the amount of energy to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere of pressure, but that amount of energy depends on the starting temperature of the water, and different things use different starting points, so it ranges from about 1054 to 1059 joules
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#5> "I barely know what a BTU is" Neither does anyone else, its one of those archaic units that changes slightly based on who is using it and hangs on in oil and gas industries, and also air conditioners and heaters. It was defined as the amount of energy to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere of pressure, but that amount of energy depends on the starting temperature of the water, and di…
Why would the amount of energy required to increase the temperature of a defined mass of water depend on the temperature? This goes against the idea of specific heat
(editing to add - I didn't realize that water's specific heat has a temperature dependence and changes around 5% over reasonable indoor temperatures
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-capacity-wa... )
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#6> "I barely know what a BTU is" Neither does anyone else, its one of those archaic units that changes slightly based on who is using it and hangs on in oil and gas industries, and also air conditioners and heaters. It was defined as the amount of energy to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere of pressure, but that amount of energy depends on the starting temperature of the water, and di…
Why would the amount of energy required to increase the temperature of a defined mass of water depend on the temperature? This goes against the idea of specific heat (editing to add - I didn't realize that water's specific heat has a temperature dependence and changes around 5% over reasonable indoor temperatures https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-capacity-wa... )
Phase change?
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#7They didn't include a common reason for wanting at least a thin blanket on hot summer nights: it keeps the mosquitoes away!
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#8Clearly for better protection against monsters
It is the only reason. I asked my wife one time why she sleeps under blankets when it's boiling hot (I do not); she said because there might be 'things in the night' so I asked if she thought these sheets will protect her; nope, but otherwise she doesn't sleep.
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#9> "I barely know what a BTU is" Neither does anyone else, its one of those archaic units that changes slightly based on who is using it and hangs on in oil and gas industries, and also air conditioners and heaters. It was defined as the amount of energy to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere of pressure, but that amount of energy depends on the starting temperature of the water, and di…
I blessed to live in a country that uses kilowatts. That works wonderfully (and advertised as such) for AC units
Re: Why Do We Sleep Under Blankets, Even on the Hottest Nights? (2017)
#10> "I barely know what a BTU is" Neither does anyone else, its one of those archaic units that changes slightly based on who is using it and hangs on in oil and gas industries, and also air conditioners and heaters. It was defined as the amount of energy to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere of pressure, but that amount of energy depends on the starting temperature of the water, and di…
Why would the amount of energy required to increase the temperature of a defined mass of water depend on the temperature? This goes against the idea of specific heat (editing to add - I didn't realize that water's specific heat has a temperature dependence and changes around 5% over reasonable indoor temperatures https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/specific-heat-capacity-wa... )
No, it doesn't go against the idea of specific heat. You may be thinking of ideal gases and even then specific heat may or may not be constant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_gas