Anyone know the physics/thermodynamics of kilts??

[Riverkilt]

Was at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon yesterday wearing my new Pittsburgh forest MARPAT. Its made of sturdy material and despite strong cold winds coming up the canyon to the viewpoints I was warm....until I had to take a leak.

So I'm in the restroom in front of a urinal, raised the kilt to pee and suddenly got cold...like I dumped warm air out from under the kilt.

I know hot air rises etc. And can figure that the air under kilts gets warmed by body heat and keeps cold air out. Just wondering if there are any experts out there who can explain/refer to an article, about how that all works...

What effect is there from walking and swishing the kilt around, raising it to pee, strong cold winds, etc.

As long as I'm addicted I'd like to learn more about this wonderful "drug."

[Robert Lamb]

I have no real knowlege about warm air under a kilt in cold weather so I guess the best thing to do is learn how to pee without raising the kilt in question
Robert "the kilted" Lamb

[James]

My guess is that the heavy kilt traps a bubble of warm air around vitals-and as long as kilt in place all is warm and comfortable--but if kilt lifted-blown around then warm air escapes--hence chilth.

James

[The Wizard of BC]

OK Ron, a brief intro to thermodynamics and how it applies to kilts.
The first thing you need to understand is the differance between heat and temp. Heat is a physical property of all matter. All matter has heat (even if in very small quantities). Heat cannot be destroyed, only transferred. Temp. is the measurment of heat and its transfer.
Heat can be tranferred by three methods, Convection, Conduction and Radiation.
With a kilt what you are doing is insulating from heat loss. Your body produdes heat. That heat is lost thru the transferance of your heat through primaraly Radiation and Conduction. Your kilt collects that transfered heat and stores it. Willie feels warm because the kilt insulates from further heat loss and can transfer heat back by the same methods.
As soon as you lift your kilt, you no longer have the insulating kilt and heat loss is faster so willie feels colder.
So, it is heat loss thru Conduction, not Convection, that makes you feel cold. Kilt down = insulation from heat loss thru less air movement and absorbsion of heat and re-transfer back to your body. Kilt up = rapid heat loss thru large air movement whipping the heat from poor Willy.
Here endith the lesson.

For lesson no.2 entitled "How to get rich in Real estate" please remit your fees to the author. Cash only, and in small unmarked bills please.

[RockyR]

Simple solution.. Stay standing, spread your legs, pull kilt out a lttle from front.. then you know the rest.. Works great.... in the woods... not so sure about in front of a urinal...

[Blu (Ontario)]

.... Stay standing, spread your legs, ...

Very inportant! If you don't spread far enough, you'll splash on your shoes!

[Blu (Ontario)]

... Just wondering if there are any experts out there who can explain/refer to an article, about how that all works...What effect is there from walking and swishing the kilt around, raising it to pee, strong cold winds, etc.

The way I understand it...
Fast moving air creates a lower air pressure. You can test this by holding the leading corners of a piece of printer paper with thumbs and forefingers, then blow firmly across the top side. Watch the limp unsupported edge rise up as you blow. The pleats of your kilt move outward from the same forces. Your pleats are in effect "sucked" outward by the moving air. I have doubts however that stack effect would be much of a factor.

[Freelander Sporrano]

This sound like the old candle in a tin can experiment

Here in norway the kids put candles on their sleges

If you put a candle in a tin can that is lying on it's side the candle will not blow out when travelling down hill because the air inside the can keeps the air outside from getting in. The air can not escape through the can and so doesn't create a draft. The air pressure inside the can keeps the air out just like air pressure in a diving bell.

Something similar must have happened when you released the wram air out from under your kilt and the cold air rushed in to replace it.

Does this help

[RockyR]

... Just wondering if there are any experts out there who can explain/refer to an article, about how that all works...What effect is there from walking and swishing the kilt around, raising it to pee, strong cold winds, etc.

The way I understand it...
Fast moving air creates a lower air pressure. You can test this by holding the leading corners of a piece of printer paper with thumbs and forefingers, then blow firmly across the top side. Watch the limp unsupported edge rise up as you blow. The pleats of your kilt move outward from the same forces. Your pleats are in effect "sucked" outward by the moving air. I have doubts however that stack effect would be much of a factor.

That's called "lift" and it is why when air passes over an airplanes wing, it "Lifts" it off the ground.

[The Wizard of BC]

Not to be snobby or anything, (Just a show off) But the principle demonstrated with blowing over a sheet of paper is Bournoulli's law. Lift is the effect of the law.

<---nerd smiley