Discover
/
Article

Physics of chimneys

DEC 01, 1949
Where there’s fire there’s smoke. How chimneys remove it is told in this article.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3066322

Paul R. Achenbach

Greek and Roman architects used chimneys in kitchens and baths, though they took great care to conceal them from view. Yet it was not until the twelfth century that the practice of allowing the smoke from a fire to pass out through a hole in the roof was changed in northern Europe to the use of a hollow flue leading upward from the fireplace by the wall.

More about the Authors

Paul R. Achenbach. National Bureau of Standards.

This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1949_12.jpeg

Volume 2, Number 12

Related content
/
Article
Technical knowledge and skills are only some of the considerations that managers have when hiring physical scientists. Soft skills, in particular communication, are also high on the list.
/
Article
Professional societies can foster a sense of belonging and offer early-career scientists opportunities to give back to their community.
/
Article
Interviews offer a glimpse of how physicists get into—and thrive in—myriad nonacademic careers.
/
Article
Research exchanges between US and Soviet scientists during the second half of the 20th century may be instructive for navigating today’s debates on scientific collaboration.
/
Article
The Eisenhower administration dismissed the director of the National Bureau of Standards in 1953. Suspecting political interference with the agency’s research, scientists fought back—and won.
/
Article
Alternative undergraduate physics courses expand access to students and address socioeconomic barriers that prevent many of them from entering physics and engineering fields. The courses also help all students develop quantitative skills.

Get PT in your inbox

Physics Today - The Week in Physics

The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.

Physics Today - Table of Contents
Physics Today - Whitepapers & Webinars
By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.