Is a Vape a Cigarette?
Everyone knows about the recent Shanghai Metro incident. Enthusiasts generally understand that vaping is not the same as smoking, but they may not always be able to clearly explain why. Today I want to share my own view, and I also hope to hear yours. Wha
The recent incident on the Shanghai subway is well-known; players understand that e-cigarettes are not cigarettes.
But why is this the case? Players may not be able to articulate it clearly.
Today, I want to share my insights and hope you can share your thoughts as well.
What is smoke?
In chemistry, smoke is generally considered to be tiny solid particles dispersed in the air.
In everyday life, we generally think of smoke as tobacco; the components of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes are vastly different.
It's quite obvious, and there's no need to elaborate further, so I won't discuss this point here.
So the question arises:
Is the "smoke" produced by e-cigarettes solid? The answer is certainly no, from this definition's perspective.
The "smoke" emitted by e-cigarettes is actually "vapor" rather than "smoke".
This vapor consists of countless tiny liquid droplets, and these droplets are large and relatively transparent, so they undergo "Mie scattering" (Mie scattering) among the droplets.
The vapor from e-cigarettes appears white, while the smoke produced by traditional cigarettes is the real "smoke"; in that smoke, 92% is gas and 8% is solid, with the solid particles ranging from 0.1 to 2 μm, much smaller than the wavelength of light, so the tiny solids undergo "Rayleigh scattering" (actually accompanied by some "Mie scattering"). The shorter wavelengths of blue and violet light scatter more than the longer wavelengths of red light in the solar spectrum, resulting in cigarette smoke appearing "blue" rather than the "white" of e-cigarette vapor.
From another perspective, in our habitual thinking, when we say smoke, we mean tobacco; e-cigarettes are not tobacco, they merely contain nicotine.
"Give me a smoke"—does the other person hand you an e-cigarette?!
"Give me a smoke"—does the other person blow smoke at you?!
What you want is not these things; what you want is tobacco.
In a clear-minded and serious context, the high probability is that you will receive tobacco, not something else.
So what is an e-cigarette? An e-cigarette is nothing else; it is simply an e-cigarette, a way to obtain nicotine or a means of entertainment through vapor.
Just because e-cigarettes contain nicotine doesn't mean they are smoke; coffee, tea, and various energy drinks also contain caffeine, but no one confuses them.
Smoking should be banned in public places, and e-cigarettes should also be banned; however, the government and relevant personnel can supplement and explain that e-cigarette regulations fall within the scope of smoking control, rather than directly stating that e-cigarettes are also smoke.
But why is this the case? Players may not be able to articulate it clearly.
Today, I want to share my insights and hope you can share your thoughts as well.
What is smoke?
In chemistry, smoke is generally considered to be tiny solid particles dispersed in the air.
In everyday life, we generally think of smoke as tobacco; the components of e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes are vastly different.
It's quite obvious, and there's no need to elaborate further, so I won't discuss this point here.
So the question arises:
Is the "smoke" produced by e-cigarettes solid? The answer is certainly no, from this definition's perspective.
The "smoke" emitted by e-cigarettes is actually "vapor" rather than "smoke".
This vapor consists of countless tiny liquid droplets, and these droplets are large and relatively transparent, so they undergo "Mie scattering" (Mie scattering) among the droplets.
The vapor from e-cigarettes appears white, while the smoke produced by traditional cigarettes is the real "smoke"; in that smoke, 92% is gas and 8% is solid, with the solid particles ranging from 0.1 to 2 μm, much smaller than the wavelength of light, so the tiny solids undergo "Rayleigh scattering" (actually accompanied by some "Mie scattering"). The shorter wavelengths of blue and violet light scatter more than the longer wavelengths of red light in the solar spectrum, resulting in cigarette smoke appearing "blue" rather than the "white" of e-cigarette vapor.
From another perspective, in our habitual thinking, when we say smoke, we mean tobacco; e-cigarettes are not tobacco, they merely contain nicotine."Give me a smoke"—does the other person hand you an e-cigarette?!
"Give me a smoke"—does the other person blow smoke at you?!
What you want is not these things; what you want is tobacco.
In a clear-minded and serious context, the high probability is that you will receive tobacco, not something else.
So what is an e-cigarette? An e-cigarette is nothing else; it is simply an e-cigarette, a way to obtain nicotine or a means of entertainment through vapor.
Just because e-cigarettes contain nicotine doesn't mean they are smoke; coffee, tea, and various energy drinks also contain caffeine, but no one confuses them.
Smoking should be banned in public places, and e-cigarettes should also be banned; however, the government and relevant personnel can supplement and explain that e-cigarette regulations fall within the scope of smoking control, rather than directly stating that e-cigarettes are also smoke.
