when Smoke Flows #physics #scienceexplained

💨 The Backflow Incense Phenomenon — When Smoke Flows Like Water

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At first glance, it seems impossible — smoke that falls instead of rises. But what you’re seeing is pure fluid mechanics in action.

In a backflow incense burner, the smoke cools rapidly as it exits a perforated lid. As it cools, it becomes denser than the surrounding air, allowing gravity to pull it downward. The result? A mesmerizing cascade that behaves like a liquid — swirling, pooling, and drifting gently at the base.

This striking effect beautifully demonstrates principles from thermodynamics and Archimedes’ principle, where buoyancy and gravity balance in unexpected ways.

Science has rarely looked this serene — a living visualization of how gases, temperature, and density dance together in nature.

📍 Concept: Fluid Mechanics & Thermodynamics
🔬 Science: Density Gradients, Buoyancy, Gas Flow Dynamics

#FluidMechanics #PhysicsInAction #Thermodynamics #SmokeFlow #ArchimedesPrinciple #ScienceVisuals #BackflowIncense #inside_science_ #STEM #ScienceIsBeautiful