2007-12-20 19:28:20 · 9 answers · asked by C4 Snake 3 in Health ➔ Other - Health
The water vapour in your breath condenses slightly in the cold air, so in effect it slightly solidifies, a bit like a cloud
2007-12-20 19:31:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
At what temperature does your breath become visible in the cold?
There is no fixed air temperature for frosty breath. As meteorologist Tom Skilling explains, two factors determine whether we can see our breath in cold weather: temperature and humidity.
Exhaled air has relatively high amounts of moisture from our lungs. When this warm, moist air is chilled, the moisture condenses. The exhaled air is chilled below its saturation temperature, or dew point.
For big dramatic clouds of frosty breath, it helps to have humid air. Why? This stops the condensation cloud from evaporating too quickly. The water droplets will last longer in moist air, because the air is already fairly saturated.
Here's a nifty piece of frosty breath movie trivia, courtesy of IMDb. The outdoor shots in "Dog Day Afternoon" were filmed during the winter, but the story was supposed to take place during the summer. So to make their breath less visible, the actors held ice in their mouths before filming.
2007-12-20 19:42:07 · answer #2 · answered by rosieC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the breath coming out of your body is warmer than the cold air outside.
I love the expression Dylan Thomas used in A Child's Christmas In Wales when he refers it to making ghosts with your breath.
2007-12-20 19:32:42 · answer #3 · answered by CMH 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
water in your breath condenses in the cold air. Just like water from a boiling kettle condenses in the relatively cold air.
2007-12-20 19:31:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your breath contains particles of saliva, and food if you're really disgusting. As you breathe out it condenses in the cold air, causing it to turn into vapour. It's a saliva condensation trail.
2007-12-20 19:32:33 · answer #5 · answered by Matt 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The air outside is cold and your breath is much warmer, so when it mixes you see the warm vapour. if you have a fridge freezer open it up and you'll see the steam.
2007-12-20 19:40:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anne-Marie T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I was on the Antarctic survey several years ago one's breathe would solidify and fall on the ground. If you were unlucky it would land on your toe causing bruises and black toenails.
2007-12-20 23:30:07 · answer #7 · answered by crazeygrazey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because there are ghosts living in your lungs and they like the cold.
2007-12-20 19:32:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
the whole warm air meeting cool air effect...
2007-12-20 19:37:42 · answer #9 · answered by bb s 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋