How the heck does one make white smoke?

[Rockholm]

All this papal smoke business.....Black smoke, white smoke. It all looks, well, smokey to me.

Let's say I want to make a fire tonight in the fireplace, how would I make white smoke?

Many thanks.

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Say a couple of prayers over it?

:D

[Wickerman]

2. Its a Pope thing

I don't even try to understand.

[crispini]

3. Just burn straw.

That burns white. Oil-based stuff burns black. Saw it last night on Olbermann, heh.

[CottonBear]

4. The ballots are treated with chemicals

that make the smoke black or white. They burn the ballots after the vote is taken. Maybe they put the chemical on after the vote.

[sniffa]

5. makes me wanna get high

:smoke:

[LynneSin]

6. I would have to say there isn't a big market in the pope-smoking business

:shrug:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Don't add oil to your engine long enough

[Trillo]

15. White smoke is anti-freeze.

Grey smoke is oil.
Black smoke to too much gas.

A blown head gasket is one likely cause of white smoke. I know it's off topic. :smoke:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. Ring damage will cause white smoke

[Trillo]

17. It's difficult to distinguish gray smoke from white smoke.

One easy way is smell. :smoke:

Worn rings do not cause thr burning of antifreeze, they do allow more oil to be burned.

I'd offer you references, but mine are in paper books on my shelves. The only reason I didn't become a professional mechanic was that my school experiences caused me to cast "away any kind of certification" as a viable career path. Without professional certification, mechanics earn minimum wage or therabouts, regardless of skill, knoweledge, or experience.

[Cadence]

8. For white smoke you have to burn

natural combustible items like straw. If you burn straw and then throw water on it you will have a lot of white smoke.

Anything with a fire accelerator like lighter fluid will produce black smoke.

[luvLLB]

9. pour holy water on it.

[miss_kitty]

10. Straw

remember, the Cavalcade of Cardinals has had 2000 years to figure it out.

[BOSSHOG]

11. Blow up your car engine

[yvr girl]

12. You actually make black smoke

"white smoke" is natural.

To make black smoke they add something like olive oil, that makes it burn black. (More carbon, more particles in the smoke.)

[giant_robot]

13. ..

'nuff said

[Wapsie B]

14. Here

Potassium Chlorate......... 20
Ammonium Chloride............. 50
Napthalene............... 20
Charcoal ................10

Found this recipe for white smoke on a pyrotechnic forum.