I heard some people saying they feel the heat when they are spending hours on the bean bag. Do you have the same experience?
Heat production is a theory of science. This theory has a relationship with bean bags too. So, let’s see do bean bags produce heat or not.
As you already know, bean bags are made with different types of fabrics and fillers. I knew if you sit hours on a leather bean bag, you may feel much warmer than sitting on a cotton bean bag. Moreover, the filler type also directly influences the bean bag heat.
But if anyone asks, does bean bag produces heat, my answer is no. Bean bags cannot produce heat by themselves without any external heat source or force.
Science can explain it further. Keep read!
Table of Contents
- How Heat or Warm Produce?
- Human Body Functions
- How the Bean Bag Get Warm When You Sit?
- How Bean Bags Get Warmer Other Than the Body Heat?
- Final Words
How Heat or Warm Produce?
Heat can be produced in many ways, like burning and rubbing. Moreover, there is a universal theory called conduction. According to that theory, heat can move from one object to another object.
It means conduction can transfer heat energy. The moving particles of warm solids can increase the heat energy of the particles in a cooler solid.
Moreover, if we look at the word “warm,” this word is used to describe temperature. On the other hand, the temperature is a primary influencer that causes the movement of molecular. The rapid movement of molecular is interpreted as heat, and slow movements are interpreted as cool. So, let’s see how this theory applies to bean bags.
Human Body Functions
Shall I ask a small question from you? What is your body temperature value right now? Generally, the human body has a mechanism to regulate body temperature at a stable level.
So, if people are in normal health conditions, they may have 97-99 Fahrenheit Body temperature.
In addition to that, do you have any idea about how humans maintain even temperature in the whole body? Yes, it is blood. Humans have a well-established blood circulation system. So, that system helps to keep even temperature in the entire body.
How the Bean Bag Get Warm When You Sit?
It may happen because of several reasons. Here I mention primary causes.
Conduction of Body Heat into the Bean Bag
Conduction is the main reason that causes to increase in bean bag’s heat. As I mentioned earlier healthy man’s body temperature range from 97-99 Fahrenheit.
According to the law of thermodynamics, heat always passes from a warmer item to a cooler one. So, when you sit on the bean bag, your body heat is conducted into the bean bag.
The thermal properties of the bean bag surface determine how much heat your body will lose and the bean bag can gain.
Let’s look at this a little bit deeper with an example. Think some bean bag is prepared with denim fabric. Also, another bean bag is made with leather fabric.
The same person sits for one hour on both bean bags. Just after one hour, that person may feel different temperatures. Why does it have a temperature difference?
Generally, leather can quickly get warm than other fabrics. So, people who sit on there feel much warmer than sitting on the denim bean bag.
Heat-Absorbing and Storing Capacity of Bean Bags
Bean bags are generally made with cotton, linen, leather, faux fur, and vinyl fabrics. So, the different materials have different thermal properties. Moreover that, not only bean bags fabrics, this theory applies to bean bags fillers too.
The expanded polystyrene beads (EPS), shredded memory foam, and cotton, commonly use fillers for the industry. Rather than them, people use alternative fillers such as sand, rice, packing peanuts, hay, and pebbles.
So, all these materials consist of different types of molecular structures. According to the molecular structure of the materials, the physical properties may change.
But some commercially used bean bag fillers have heat insulator properties. So, they do not absorb much heat. But there are some exceptions. If you have a bean bag filled with memory foam, you may already know this situation.
Generally, memory foams have a pores structure, and lots of air accumulate in these pores. So, when people sit on that bean bag, it will gradually warm. Also, that heat transfers inside the bean bag.
Then these air pores also get warm due to conduction theory. But if you sit on a bean bag filled with EPS balls, its physical properties are different than memory foam. Also, EPS balls’ heat insulator property will block the heat transfers inside the balls.
So, the bean bag filled with memory foam will speedily heat than the bean bag filled with EPS balls. Let’s look at this further.
Think, what type of bean bag will you choose to lay on in winter? The bean bag filled with memory form or EPS balls?
In your experience, you know memory foam bean bags will give a more warm feel in the winter season than another type. So, how does it happen? Yes, memory foam has thousands of air spores, and it will warm with your body heat. Then it can keep you in a warm environment.
Moreover, if your bean bag is filled with stone pebbles, it may take a long time to get warm. But after they get warm, it will take more time to get cool.
So, these thermal absorption, retention, and releasing properties are unique for specific materials.
Rubbing Peoples’ Back Area on the Bean Bag
According to science, when two surfaces rub each other, heat may generate. That mainly happens because of friction.
For example, when you sit on the bean bag, your back area and bean bag seat touch each other. Then, when you change your postures and move your body, your clothes and bean bag fabrics rubbing each other.
So, because of the friction of each fabric, heat can generates.
Generally, this friction will reduce if you wear a smooth cloth like silk and a bean bag created with soft fabrics. But think if you wear denim trousers, and bean bag fabric also has coarse material, it will generate more friction.
Moreover, when sitting on the bean bag, the bean bag fillers rubs because your weight adds extra pressure to bean bag fillers. Not only that, when you are changing your body postures, the bean bags balls are rubbing with each other. Because of the friction force, it can create heat.
The friction level and heat generation may vary since bean bags are prepared with several fabrics and fillers. Let me explain this further. If your bean bag has expanded polystyrene balls (EPS), it will generate a different amount of heat than cotton.
So, I hope now you have a better understanding of the friction. In this case, the bean bag can produce a little heat.
How Bean Bags Get Warmer Other Than the Body Heat?
- Sunlight
- Stove
- Laptops
- Pets body
Final Words
Most furniture, bean bags, seats occupy below human body temperatures. They absorb heat energy that is emitting our body and gradually warm up.
Also, how long the bean bag can retain that temperature after moving away depends on the bean bag’s materials. Unless it absorbs heat from any other source like sunlight, it will eventually cool off.
This Thermodynamics theory is also applicable when you sit on the warm bean bag. At that time, you may experience a burn feel. In that case, a warm bean bag transfers heat to your cool back side.
How do you feel now? So, when selecting a bean bag, not only think about the fluffy and comfortable feel. Think about its fabrics and filling’s physical and thermal properties too!
