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How The Science Behind The Cremation Work?
The Science of Cremation Ashes
Cremation has been a means for the remains of humans for centuries over and above cultural and religious considerations. Even though it is often discussed in terms of tradition and ritual, the process is also based on some interesting scientific principles. It helps explain the science behind cremation ashes and hence the transformation better.
Normally, a human body is subjected to temperatures ranging from 1,400 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (760 to 982 degrees Celsius) in a specialized furnace referred to as a cremator. The intense heat melts the body down into its basic elements through combustion, vaporization, and oxidation, leaving behind mainly fragments of bone. The whole process usually lasts about 1.5 to 3 hours depending on variables, such as the size of the body and how well the cremator operates.
The human body mainly comprises water, proteins, fats, and minerals. These elements evaporate water followed by organic materials including proteins and fats during the process of cremation. These substances burn releasing energy and producing gases that may include carbon dioxide and trace amounts of other gases; however, the other gaseous products mainly contain water vapor.
This remaining part after the process is the calcium phosphate, a non-combustible part of bones which do not easily burn out when exposed to high temperatures.
The product is commonly referred to as "cremation ashes," although technically it is not ash in the classical sense. Instead, it is composed mainly of pulverized bone fragments. The bone fragments are gathered following the cremation process and then, using a machine called a cremulator, the bones are ground into a very fine, almost sandy consistency. This is what the families receive in an urn.
The color and texture of cremated remains vary with several reasons, such as the mineral components in a person's bones and efficiency at which the cremation occurs. Normally, ashes are pale gray to white color though with slight variations depending upon trace minerals like iron or magnesium. The weight of the ashes is ordinarily proportional to the size and density of the person's skeletal structure, averaging an adult at 4-6 pounds (1.8-2.7 kilograms).
Cremation ashes are chemically stable and inert, so they are safe to handle and store. Their stability also makes possible many creative commemorative options: the ashes can be put into jewelry, mixed with soil to grow a memorial tree, or even turned into synthetic diamonds. New developments in materials science have broadened the scope of honoring loved ones in unique and meaningful ways.
Cremation is also not safe for the environment. Various scientific studies have concluded that it's not environmentally friendly. Traditional cremation produces gases like greenhouse gas emissions, while its counterparts in this aspect are water cremation or better known as alkaline hydrolysis, which breaks down the body with a mix of water, heat, and an alkaline solution with a very similar end product but significantly lower emissions.
It's so much more complex and beautiful than most people imagine: the science behind cremation ashes. Beyond rituals and emotions, understanding what is happening in terms of physical and chemical changes involves an intense interplay of biology, chemistry, and technology that makes the way we remember and honor loved ones who have passed even better.
