March 28, 2024, 07:16:52 PM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: How far something smells??  (Read 5875 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline ruffle

  • Very New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
How far something smells??
« on: September 01, 2016, 04:09:56 AM »
Hi all,

I am just wondering if there are any way to estimate how far something (e.g. flowers) could be smelled. I am aware that it is dependent on odor concentration, but maybe there are some general formulas that gives rough estimates??

many thanks for any insights!!


Offline P

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 639
  • Mole Snacks: +64/-15
  • Gender: Male
  • I am what I am
Re: How far something smells??
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2016, 07:20:40 AM »
Wind speed and direction will play a part also. Maybe volatility of the scent.
Tonight I’m going to party like it’s on sale for $19.99!

- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Offline Yggdrasil

  • Retired Staff
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3215
  • Mole Snacks: +485/-21
  • Gender: Male
  • Physical Biochemist
Re: How far something smells??
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2016, 02:23:40 PM »
You could probably model the problem using Fick's laws of diffusion.

Offline Arkcon

  • Retired Staff
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 7367
  • Mole Snacks: +533/-147
Re: How far something smells??
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2016, 07:50:52 PM »
Also, humans have varying sensitivities to various chemicals, some can be smelled in very dilute amounts, others need to be more concentrated.  This is a way too complicated question to solve, as you've written it.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

Offline P

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 639
  • Mole Snacks: +64/-15
  • Gender: Male
  • I am what I am
Re: How far something smells??
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2016, 09:51:26 AM »
Also, humans have varying sensitivities to various chemicals, some can be smelled in very dilute amounts, others need to be more concentrated.  This is a way too complicated question to solve, as you've written it.

yea - also I think some humans build up further sensitivities or tolerances to specific smells. I think I have become loess tolerant to the smell of styrene monomers and their derivatives over the years. The smell never used to bother me....  after 4 years of working with them nearly 20 years ago they actually made me feel horrible when I could smell them and just the slightest amount I could detect and shy away from. I remembered this recently when I was asked to look at some styrene for some reason and instantly remembered the smell and went all light headed. (It is supposed to be used in a fume hood, but even just seeing a bottle of the stuff sets my nose off, scrunching up in disgust). The styrene smell isn't all that bad (although carcinogenic I think), I actually like the smell in a way, but I have had too much of it and it makes me feel terrible in the head at the slightest exposure.... like a soreness in my nasal membranes, lips, throat and lungs. I would be happy never to get a wiff of it again.
Tonight I’m going to party like it’s on sale for $19.99!

- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Offline shiffdaddy

  • Regular Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 17
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
Re: How far something smells??
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2017, 11:21:02 PM »
Every single time I work with diethyl ether, no matter how careful I am with the fume hood I still get a splitting headache.  Pisses me right off

Offline P

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 639
  • Mole Snacks: +64/-15
  • Gender: Male
  • I am what I am
Re: How far something smells??
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2017, 05:51:16 AM »
Every single time I work with diethyl ether, no matter how careful I am with the fume hood I still get a splitting headache.  Pisses me right off

Poor you - I used to like that smell. I think dichloromethane used to smell nice too. I can't remember which one smells of which, but both were nice iirc. 
Tonight I’m going to party like it’s on sale for $19.99!

- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Sponsored Links