Oops, Sorry! I let it go
There are these moments in life when you can’t stop it. You just have to let it go. At times it can put you in an extremely embarrassing situation. All I am talking is about farting (scientifically called flatus/flatulence) and also referred to as passing gas, breaking wind, blasting, beefing, poofing, ripping one, letting one fly, stepping on a duck, and cutting the cheese. The scientific study of flatulence is called flatology. Farting is a common occurrence not only among humans but also among different animals with elephant leading the list. Have you ever wondered why it’s so natural to break wind? Why does it make funny noises? What is the composition of fart? Is it healthy to hold it back? Then this little article will throw some light on these issues.
Fart is a composition of gases. The sources of these gases are the many-excessive air we swallow (aerophagia-least contribution), gas produced by chemical reactions in our gut during the process of digestion or the gas produced by bacteria living in the gut. It travels down all through the gut and intestines and finally expelled through the anal opening. It’s brought about by specialized contractions of the muscles in the intestine and colon. The noises commonly associated with flatulence are caused by the vibration of the anal sphincter and sometimes by the closed buttocks. The amount and frequency of breaking wind vary from individual to individual.
The exact chemical composition of human flatulence varies from one person to another, based on his or her biochemistry, the bacteria inhabiting the colon and the foods that were eaten. If the gas results from ingesting air, the chemical composition will approximate that of air. If the fart arises from digestion or bacterial production, the chemistry may be more exotic. Farts consist primarily of nitrogen, the principal gas in air, along with a significant amount of carbon dioxide. A typical breakdown of the chemical composition of farts is: Nitrogen: 20-90%,Hydrogen 0-50% (flammable),Carbon dioxide 10-30%,Oxygen 0-10%,Methane 0-10% (flammable).Interestingly 99% of the volume of fart is composed of non-odorant gases. The stink is mainly due to skatole (by-product of meat digestion), Indole (by-product of meat digestion), methanethiol (a sulfur compound), dimethyl sulfide (a sulfur compound), hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg odor, flammable), volatile amines, short chain fatty acids, feces (if present in the rectum) and bacteria. Holding back fart is never a good idea because it leads to building up of pressure in the abdomen leading to bloating, pain and discomfort. If you have the urge just excuse yourself and let it go.
It is even possible to light farts on fire. If a sufficient amount is present then we can light it up. If the flame is blue then it’s due to methane caused by the bacteria in the gut while if it’s yellow then the fart is comprised mainly of hydrogen and other flammable gases.
Interesting enough, an average individual lets out half a liter of air every day during his/her 16 farting sessions distributed over the day. The most of it comes out during the sleep and during pooping. So if you are sleeping with someone better clog your nose before it is too late.