Comments on: Metal Has No Smell http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/ Sat, 11 May 2013 22:50:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Navid48us http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-295 Navid48us Fri, 15 Jun 2012 12:54:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-295 It is theorized that the atoms that separate from an object and float in the air cause smell.  I am not sure if this theory is correct.  What about the smaller particles within the atom that have almost no mass? It is theorized that the atoms that separate from an object
and float in the air cause smell.  I am
not sure if this theory is correct.  What
about the smaller particles within the atom that have almost no mass?

]]> By: RAThomas http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-292 RAThomas Thu, 18 Aug 2011 03:27:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-292 Insightful comments. I'll add that machining any metal (that I've been around to witness, anyway) let's off a smell distinctive to that metal. As earlier comments said, without you having touched it. Why does iron or steel smell a certain way when being machined? Well, that would be chemistry in action, just as the article says. Just as a fragrance flower's "smell" is sensed from its volatile compounds evaporated into the air, so are the smells of metal. When I accidentally sniff a bit of iron dust while filing on a block of metal, the scent I smell may well be based in the chemical reactions occurring in my nose from the interaction of the metal and water, oils, etc in my olfactory canals, but it works for the human senses just as well and in similar ways as smelling a rose. So, as far as the human senses go, metals have a smell. Interesting article almost makes an interesting point, but fails by flawed conclusion. Insightful comments. I’ll add that machining any metal (that I’ve been around to witness, anyway) let’s off a smell distinctive to that metal. As earlier comments said, without you having touched it. Why does iron or steel smell a certain way when being machined? Well, that would be chemistry in action, just as the article says. Just as a fragrance flower’s “smell” is sensed from its volatile compounds evaporated into the air, so are the smells of metal. When I accidentally sniff a bit of iron dust while filing on a block of metal, the scent I smell may well be based in the chemical reactions occurring in my nose from the interaction of the metal and water, oils, etc in my olfactory canals, but it works for the human senses just as well and in similar ways as smelling a rose.

So, as far as the human senses go, metals have a smell.

Interesting article almost makes an interesting point, but fails by flawed conclusion.

]]> By: Enrico Fermi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-291 Enrico Fermi Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:57:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-291 But have you ever smelled aluminum in a vacuum? wait, never mind But have you ever smelled aluminum in a vacuum?

wait, never mind

]]> By: john florentin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-290 john florentin Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:09:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2006/10/26/metal-has-no-smell/#comment-290 what is the smell when you machine a piece of aluminium? Its not there when you just handle it. john f what is the smell when you machine a piece of aluminium? Its not there when you just handle it.
john f

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