I've been lurking here for years, but I seldom post. Learned a lot though.
Apparently not enough.

Now I've come before the font of collective wisdom, hat in hand.



I made an offhand remark to SWMBO that I'd like to build a fire piston.

"And that would be...?"
"Method of starting fires. Works on compression, sorta like a Diesel."

Blank Stare.

Well, me bein' typically full of refined oats, I proceeds to expound upon
the principle. Yep. Uh-huh. So I sez...

"Ya know about the gas laws, right? Ya know, Bernoulli, Boyle, and prob'ly
a couple other dead guys? 'Member the part 'bout compressin' gasses gettin'
hot and expandin' gasses gettin cold? Like that."

So she sez,
"I have a question."

Now, I figger that I can field any technical question posed by a mere female
without blinkin'.

"Shoot."
"Water."
"Huh?"
"Water."

Blank Stare.

So she sez,
"Water exists as a liquid and a gas, right?"
"Yeeesss...Kind of. I think. Not sure that steam is a *gas* exactly,
but..."
"Well, water is steam in a compressed state, right? And you heat water to
make it expand into steam, right? And when steam cools, it condenses back
into water. So wouldn't that violate the gas laws?"

Great Big Googly Eyed Blank Stare.

"Uh, well technically, no, but ah, state change uses energy, and
thermodynamics and stuff like that there, and uh, yes, violations, no
uhhh, kinda, sorta......ahem. Umm."

Blast. And damn if she ain't hidin' a grin up her sleeve.

Any you fellas what has had the benefit of a real education want to chime in
with the answer?
Heck, I'm not 100% sure I even know what the question is!

I have a sort of vauge idea, but I can't find words to express it.

And she's still hidin' that grin.

TIA

Kenneth James