Science Poll: Should I Keep It On or Take It Off? (My Coat, I Mean. :) )

[Emily L]

That is true, I wasn't sure whether to suggest modeling up the thermal capacitance of the jacket. The problem there is that several other factors need to be characterized:

• The thermal connection between the jacket, the individual's clothing and their skin all of which will have [likely] very different Rths
• The degree to which the jacket actually was cold-soaked e.g. delta T between inner and outer surface, and what the thermal gradient looks like
• Definition of what the "warm room" actually means from a thermal point of view e.g. are there radiative heat sources in the vicinity or are we talking warm, still air or are we talking warm air and decent convection

The actual right answer would require a model inclusive of the above. Assuming the jacket is reasonably insulative and has a somewhat low thermal mass (befitting modern fabrics and design) then jacket inner surface vs. ambient air is a reasonable simplification. If the jacket is an older-school, thick cotton or leather get-up e.g. it has a lot of thermal mass then the answer will depend a great deal on the above factors.

Wow, Phoenix! It sounds like you really know this stuff! Thanks for that analysis!

 

[Emily L]

Given the interest in this thread, we probably should do an app!

 

[Emily L]

The point of a coat is to insulate your body from outside temperatures, correct? Maintain your body heat inside the coat, without allowing the external temp to lower your body temp…

So, if you are inside…you’d want to remove the coat to allow the inside temperature to reach your body…not insulate your body FROM the inside temperature.

Bird, that's EXACTLY what I've always told my friends! It certainly sounds reasonable to me! Thanks!

 

[Emily L]

I wouldn't know because it's never cold enough where I live to wear a jacket for more than show. lol
But, in most movies I watch about the winter they take it off, as it's usually a bit moist and cold.
Like someone else said, have a cozy throw blanket on a chair already warmed by the house to exchange the coat with. That's what I would do if in that situation.

But I do hear from the "Go Brandons" that being cold as fk keeps you from catching Covid. lol So, maybe no coat at all depending on who you vote for.

Thanks, Ginger--moister is probably a factor that I wasn't thinking about.

 

[Emily L]

Thanks, Ginger--moister is probably a factor that I wasn't thinking about.

I meant "moisture." (The editing time limit is up.)

By the way, "Take It Off" is still ahead!

 

[HIP56948]

Ah, HA! The Scientific Method! Experimentation! Maybe I can do that--and in the process, build up my arm muscles by taking the coat off and on so much ( ). Thanks. Hip!

You could send your dog or boyfriend/girlfriend, spouse outside for the Great Experiment. (I'd say Cat but they're usually smarter than that.)

 

[Emily L]

You could send your dog or boyfriend/girlfriend, spouse outside for the Great Experiment. (I'd say Cat but they're usually smarter than that.)

My boyfriend is one of those who disagrees with me about it, so I doubt that he'd bother to help for fear that he might be wrong.

 

[HIP56948]

Reminds me of a cartoonist, that was on a late-night talk show once (night before St Valentines day)
She said "Yes, tomorrow, women all over the world will be saying those 3 sweet little words....Men are pigs".

 

[Aletheia]

Without even resorting to science common sense says take it off.
The warm air inside has to work twice as hard to overcome the cold outside the coat before it even gets to your body, that takes additional time.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Take off the coat and put on another one that is warm from being in the house.

 

[Emily L]

Without even resorting to science common sense says take it off.
The warm air inside has to work twice as hard to overcome the cold outside the coat before it even gets to your body, that takes additional time.

Agreed!

 

[Emily L]

Take off the coat and put on another one that is warm from being in the house.

Ah, that's even better! Thanks, Psikeyhackr!

 

[Deuce]

Thanks, Senor!

I always say that it's better to take the coat off as quickly as possible. My thinking is that the outside surfaces of the coat are still cold, so the room heat would take longer to get to your body. But if you take the coat off quickly, the room heat will immediately get to your skin. Doesn't that make sense?

This interpretation is generally correct.

 

[Emily L]

This interpretation is generally correct.

Thanks, Deuce!

 

[RAMOSS]

I have this discussion (okay, it's an argument) with my friends every year.

Let's say it's freezing outside. I'm wearing a heavy coat, but I still feel cold. I come into the house, where the air is warm.

Will I warm up quicker by keeping the coat on or by taking it off?

Remember, I want to warm up as quickly as possible!

Thanks!

(This is my first poll, so I hope I did it right.)

It all depends on how hot you want. You could take it off with burlesque music in the background, and depending on who you are with, that could be really hot.

 

[Emily L]

It all depends on how hot you want. You could take it off with burlesque music in the background, and depending on who you are with, that could be really hot.

 

[Fishking]

I have this discussion (okay, it's an argument) with my friends every year.

Let's say it's freezing outside. I'm wearing a heavy coat, but I still feel cold. I come into the house, where the air is warm.

Will I warm up quicker by keeping the coat on or by taking it off?

Remember, I want to warm up as quickly as possible!

Thanks!

(This is my first poll, so I hope I did it right.)

The answer is obviously having one of those little mini space heaters and take your shoes/boots off and stick your toesies in front of it. It's the best thing ever.

 

[Emily L]

The answer is obviously having one of those little mini space heaters and take your shoes/boots off and stick your toesies in front of it. It's the best thing ever.

Oh, gosh, Fishking--that sounds so good! It makes me want to go outside for a while just so I can come in and do that!

 

[Glitch]

What does Fauci say? (After all, he IS science.)

Isn't it obvious? Dr. Fauci would have us wearing two-coats, and getting a booster of hot-chocolate every hour on the hour.

 

[PirateMk1]

I have this discussion (okay, it's an argument) with my friends every year.

Let's say it's freezing outside. I'm wearing a heavy coat, but I still feel cold. I come into the house, where the air is warm.

Will I warm up quicker by keeping the coat on or by taking it off?

Remember, I want to warm up as quickly as possible!

Thanks!

(This is my first poll, so I hope I did it right.)

It depends on how warm the air is in the house. If the air is warmer than in your jacket then I would remove the jacket. If the air is marginal leave the jacket on till you want to take it of.

 

[Emily L]

It depends on how warm the air is in the house. If the air is warmer than in your jacket then I would remove the jacket. If the air is marginal leave the jacket on till you want to take it of.

Thanks, Pirate. That makes sense,

 

[Glitch]

It depends on how warm the air is in the house. If the air is warmer than in your jacket then I would remove the jacket. If the air is marginal leave the jacket on till you want to take it of.

What really matters is the core body temperature of the human in question. If the core temperature of the individual has dropped, then wearing a coat in addition to the warm air would bring that core temperature back up faster than just the coat or the warm air by themselves.

One indication that it may be a core temperature drop is if they are still cold while wearing a warm coat. Another indication is if they are still cold and can't stop shivering an hour after being in a warm room.

The best method to warm up, or to increase the core body temperature, is to be completely immersed in warm water. That is typically further than most people are willing to go, except in the more extreme cases of hypothermia. Warm air only warms up the outer surface layer, the warmth doesn't penetrate much further than skin level.

As someone who has experienced both hypothermia and frostbite, I would much rather have the frostbite. It is extremely painful, but short-lived. The pain only lasts as long as it takes for you to thaw. Hypothermia can take days to fix, and you never feel warm during that period.

 

[PirateMk1]

What really matters is the core body temperature of the human in question. If the core temperature of the individual has dropped, then wearing a coat in addition to the warm air would bring that core temperature back up faster than just the coat or the warm air by themselves.

One indication that it may be a core temperature drop is if they are still cold while wearing a warm coat. Another indication is if they are still cold and can't stop shivering an hour after being in a warm room.

The best method to warm up, or to increase the core body temperature, is to be completely immersed in warm water. That is typically further than most people are willing to go, except in the more extreme cases of hypothermia. Warm air only warms up the outer surface layer, the warmth doesn't penetrate much further than skin level.

As someone who has experienced both hypothermia and frostbite, I would much rather have the frostbite. It is extremely painful, but short-lived. The pain only lasts as long as it takes for you to thaw. Hypothermia can take days to fix, and you never feel warm during that period.

I defer to the Alaskan.

 

[ecofarm]

Scientific poll means the organization polling chose the people included. A non-scientific poll, so to speak, is when subjects themselves choose to participate and the make-up of the participants is essentially random.

A poll is scientific when the participants are chosen because it can be replicated. A poll where the participants are essentially random cannot be replicated and thereby is not scientific.

 

[Glitch]

I defer to the Alaskan.

It is currently a balmy -31°F in Fairbanks.