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From Nordan Symposia
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==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] ''eymere'', from Old Norse ''eimyrja''; akin to [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] ''ǣmerge'' ashes, [[Latin]] ''urere'' to burn
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century 14th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: a glowing [[fragment]] (as of coal) from a [[fire]]; especially : one smoldering in ashes
*2: plural : the smoldering remains of a fire
*3: plural : slowly dying or fading [[emotions]], [[memories]], [[ideas]], or responses still capable of being revived <the embers of his [[past]]>
==Description==
An '''ember''' is a glowing, hot coal made of greatly heated [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood wood], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal coal], or other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon carbon]-based material that remain after, or sometimes precede a [[fire]]. Embers can glow very hot, sometimes as hot as the fire which created them. They [[radiate]] a substantial amount of [[heat]] long after the fire has been extinguished, and if not taken care of properly can rekindle a fire that is thought to be completely extinguished and can pose a fire [[hazard]]. In order to avoid the danger of [[accidentally]] spreading a fire, many campers pour water on the embers or cover them in [[dirt]].
They are often used for cooking, such as in charcoal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue barbecues]. This is because embers [[radiate]] a more constant form of [[heat]], as opposed to an open fire which is constantly changing along with the heat it radiates.
An ember is usually formed when a fire has only partially burnt a piece of [[fuel]], and there is still usable [[chemical]] [[energy]] in that piece of fuel. Often this happens because the usable chemical energy is so deep into the center that [[air]] (specifically oxygen) does not reach it, therefore not causing [[combustion]] (carbon-based fuel + O2 → CO2 + H2O + C + other chemicals involved). The reason that it continues to stay hot and does not lose its thermal [[energy]] quickly is because combustion is still happening at a miniature [[scale]]. The small yellow, orange and red lights often seen among the embers are actually combustion. There just is not enough combustion happening at one time to create a flame. Once the embers are completely 'burned through', they are not carbon as is commonly believed (carbon burns, and is not normally left behind), but rather various other oxidized [[minerals]] like calcium and phosphorus. At that point they are normally called ashes. See: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_ash Wood ash] for more on the residue that is left.
Embers play a large role in [[forest]] [[fires]]. Since embers are typically burnt leaves and thus small and light, they can be blown away by the [[wind]]. During a large fire, with the right wind conditions, embers can be blown far ahead of the fire front, starting spot fires hundreds of metres away. One of the initial [[stages]] of defending against a bushfire is dubbed the "ember attack", in which embers will bombard the house, starting small fires in wooden structures.
[[Category: Chemistry]]
==Origin==
[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] ''eymere'', from Old Norse ''eimyrja''; akin to [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English] ''ǣmerge'' ashes, [[Latin]] ''urere'' to burn
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_century 14th Century]
==Definitions==
*1: a glowing [[fragment]] (as of coal) from a [[fire]]; especially : one smoldering in ashes
*2: plural : the smoldering remains of a fire
*3: plural : slowly dying or fading [[emotions]], [[memories]], [[ideas]], or responses still capable of being revived <the embers of his [[past]]>
==Description==
An '''ember''' is a glowing, hot coal made of greatly heated [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood wood], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal coal], or other [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon carbon]-based material that remain after, or sometimes precede a [[fire]]. Embers can glow very hot, sometimes as hot as the fire which created them. They [[radiate]] a substantial amount of [[heat]] long after the fire has been extinguished, and if not taken care of properly can rekindle a fire that is thought to be completely extinguished and can pose a fire [[hazard]]. In order to avoid the danger of [[accidentally]] spreading a fire, many campers pour water on the embers or cover them in [[dirt]].
They are often used for cooking, such as in charcoal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue barbecues]. This is because embers [[radiate]] a more constant form of [[heat]], as opposed to an open fire which is constantly changing along with the heat it radiates.
An ember is usually formed when a fire has only partially burnt a piece of [[fuel]], and there is still usable [[chemical]] [[energy]] in that piece of fuel. Often this happens because the usable chemical energy is so deep into the center that [[air]] (specifically oxygen) does not reach it, therefore not causing [[combustion]] (carbon-based fuel + O2 → CO2 + H2O + C + other chemicals involved). The reason that it continues to stay hot and does not lose its thermal [[energy]] quickly is because combustion is still happening at a miniature [[scale]]. The small yellow, orange and red lights often seen among the embers are actually combustion. There just is not enough combustion happening at one time to create a flame. Once the embers are completely 'burned through', they are not carbon as is commonly believed (carbon burns, and is not normally left behind), but rather various other oxidized [[minerals]] like calcium and phosphorus. At that point they are normally called ashes. See: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_ash Wood ash] for more on the residue that is left.
Embers play a large role in [[forest]] [[fires]]. Since embers are typically burnt leaves and thus small and light, they can be blown away by the [[wind]]. During a large fire, with the right wind conditions, embers can be blown far ahead of the fire front, starting spot fires hundreds of metres away. One of the initial [[stages]] of defending against a bushfire is dubbed the "ember attack", in which embers will bombard the house, starting small fires in wooden structures.
[[Category: Chemistry]]
