| We are all very familiar with the daily routine; we | | | | should you so wish. |
| wash our hair and then automatically pick up the | | | | Many of the hairdryers today will allow the user |
| hairdryer, flip the switch and there is the hot air | | | | to regulate the heat and control how hot the air is |
| to dry quickly and let us get on with the day. | | | | that comes out of the dryer. The hotter the |
| There are good reasons for people to dry their | | | | heating element the hotter the air will be that is |
| hair with a hairdryer, going out with wet hair | | | | pushed through to dry the hair. The heat is |
| especially in the winter can be bad for our health, | | | | regulated normally by a heating coil, when the |
| and lead to catching colds and chills. Most people | | | | dryer is connected to the mains the coiled wires |
| though will probably not have considered how a | | | | will warm up and become hot. The coil (nichrome |
| hairdryer works and how the design allows the | | | | wire) is made up of a number of two different |
| user to blow out hot air without us burning our | | | | alloy metals these are, nickel and chromium, you |
| hair or head. | | | | can find these in any number of household items |
| The fundamentals of a hairdryer are very simple, | | | | including toasters and kettles. These two |
| there are two main parts which are essential to | | | | elements make excellent heat conductors, and |
| the workings and these are heat and air. So how | | | | nichrome wire is a poor conductor of electricity |
| do hairdryers work, quite simply the two | | | | and therefore the alloy is very heat resistant |
| elements are pushed together and the hot air is | | | | which allows it to get very hot. Another important |
| pushed through the funnel and out in one direction | | | | element is the nichrome wire does not rust or |
| from the device. The heat is generated from an | | | | oxidize; this is critical and allows the hairdryer to |
| element inside the hairdryer; this will heat up very | | | | function properly and for a longer time period. |
| quickly, but this is no use if all the hot air is | | | | When the air is pushed through the main body of |
| contained within the unit, firstly it will get very hot | | | | the hairdryer it is cold before it reaches the |
| too touch and secondly the hairdryer will not | | | | element, depending on how long the air takes to |
| perform the task that it is supposed too. The | | | | pass through the dryer will dictate how hot the air |
| second part is the fan to push the air out of the | | | | will be when it leaves the other end. The |
| dryer; this is a very simple motor which rotates | | | | regulation switch for the temperature will speed |
| the fan to push out the air and then you can dry | | | | up the fan or slow it down and this then allows |
| your hair. Most hairdryers will also allow you to | | | | the temperature to be set correctly. |
| turn off the heating element and blow out cold air | | | | |