The Physics of Fried Rice - Too Nerdy Not to Share

SciAggie

I ran across this and just had to share it. And entire paper about the physics of fried rice.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsif.2019.0622



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywfBSnXklfk

GATraveller

Amazingly interesting but now my brain hurts.

nolaegghead

Interesting. 

I noticed they kept this in the realm of Newtonian (classical) mechanics.  But the observation at a quantum level for this experiment may have very swell split the universe an infinite number of times as per the "many worlds" theory if you subscribe to the duality of particle/wave theorems such as the Schrodinger equation and quantum superposition. 

Maybe in one of those many worlds, this forum is a much more friendlier place.

gdenby

nolaegghead said:

Interesting. 

I noticed they kept this in the realm of Newtonian (classical) mechanics.  But the observation at a quantum level for this experiment may have very swell split the universe an infinite number of times as per the "many worlds" theory if you subscribe to the duality of particle/wave theorems such as the Schrodinger equation and quantum superposition. 

Maybe in one of those many worlds, this forum is a much more friendlier place.

In an infinity of universes, there is one that has an infinity of variants that are all the same, in a fractal self-similar fashion

SciAggie

nolaegghead said:

Interesting. 

I noticed they kept this in the realm of Newtonian (classical) mechanics.  But the observation at a quantum level for this experiment may have very swell split the universe an infinite number of times as per the "many worlds" theory if you subscribe to the duality of particle/wave theorems such as the Schrodinger equation and quantum superposition. 

Maybe in one of those many worlds, this forum is a much more friendlier place.

Yeah, maybe - but the rice has wok hei in all of them

The Cen-Tex Smoker

So many words...

fishlessman

now that i have the math all done, im willing to try this out in somebody elses kitchen.  not using apostrophes any more either

SciAggie

This is an interesting rabbit hole to explore.

A quote from the article:
"Wok hei is a type of browning, enabled by the Maillard [4] chemical reaction that takes place only when the wok surface reaches 1000°C. Under such high temperatures, chefs [5] surmise that the rapid motion of the wok enables browning without burning."

Is there an optimal periodic function that achieves good Maillard reactions and browning without burning? Is this among the reasons that rotisserie chicken is so good? Maybe it's not about the "self basting" Is there an optimal rate of rotation for rotisserie? Is it protein dependent? Mass/volume dependent? Do we need a rheostat on our rotisseries? What about tacos Al Pastor?

Is there actually an optimal surface temperature for a rotating protein that helps achieve the desired results? What would be a good way to quantify it?

I can think of a few folks here that could tackle these questions. I'd be willing to sit back and watch with great interest while consuming adult beverages...

SciAggie

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

So many words...

TL;DR
Get the wok stupid hot and flip faster...

SciAggie

Note that the "flip rate" is based on the trajectory of the rice grains. The trajectory of these rices grains is determined by Earth's gravitational field. So it might be worth noting that if you decide to make an intergalactic trip and find yourself making fried rice in a gravitational field with a magnitude that differs from Earth - you may need to adjust your flip rate in order to achieve wok hei.  

nolaegghead

The maillard reaction occurs between 280 and 330F according to the wiki on it.  I'm going to posit the wok temp of over 1000F doesn't mean the surface of the rice is over 1000F.  As the contact time is brief and moving, and the rice is a little papoose of water soaked starch and protein, the key is to keep the rice surface area somewhere in the sweet spot for the reaction.  The hot wok is fighting the cooling effect of the rice and the heat load of mass.  Stop flipping and you'll start burning.  Keep it in the air too much and it doesn't get hot enough.

nolaegghead

That said, I skimmed, but TL;DR on the article.  After all, I'm nola it all.

Botch

It must be pointed out that Wok-Tossing Exoskeletons WBAGNFARB.  

HeavyG

Well it's about damn time someone finally developed a mathematical model that successfully describes the wok tossing process!

SciAggie

@nolaegghead  Yeah, this is just fun - I have a bit of down time today which is unusual and this is entertaining.
The specific heat capacity of a rice grain and the time needed to transfer the appropriate amount of thermal energy would be a fun calculation. I guess 
Q=mc(delta)T would do it...

@Botch I admit I was skimming by wok-tossing exoskeletons.... That would be cool on a t-shirt... I'm thinking about those little wok shaped droids from Star Wars flipping a wok over some kind of jet exhaust flame burner...

https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?url=https://static.onecms.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/11/pit-droids-1-2000.jpg

blind99

SciAggie said:

This is an interesting rabbit hole to explore.



I can think of a few folks here that could tackle these questions. I'd be willing to sit back and watch with great interest while consuming adult beverages...

OK, that's it.  "Maillard Camp," your back yard.  Wok afficianados and chemists will work this out.  I'll come and supply WR DO and kind words of encouragement.  

GATraveller

How does this translate to my Blackstone?

JohnInCarolina

Yawn.  This is a set of ODEs at best.

SciAggie

JohnInCarolina said:

Yawn.  This is a set of ODEs at best.

Party pooper... 

nolaegghead

Ordinary diff equations are like cave drawings to John....that elitist bastardge

WesJohnson

JohnInCarolina said:

Yawn.  This is a set of ODEs at best.

Oh look, it's the obnoxious self-important Professor that everyone tolerates (but no one actually likes) chiming in with something obnoxious and self-important.   

JohnInCarolina

WesJohnson said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Yawn.  This is a set of ODEs at best.

Oh look, it's the obnoxious self-important Professor that everyone tolerates (but no one actually likes) chiming in with something obnoxious and self-important.   

Lol.

dbCooper

But, can physicists cook good fried rice?   .  

lousubcap

I can't run, barely walk, and don't wok.  Gave the article a fly-over and declared "TLDR" as a LEO cruise is gathering momentum.  I'm sure science wins out but the closer is "I'm too old to GAF!"  Have a great evening.  

nolaegghead

WesJohnson said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Yawn.  This is a set of ODEs at best.

Oh look, it's the obnoxious self-important Professor that everyone tolerates (but no one actually likes) chiming in with something obnoxious and self-important.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJHvSp9AKYg

Botch

nolaegghead said:

WesJohnson said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Yawn.  This is a set of ODEs at best.

Oh look, it's the obnoxious self-important Professor that everyone tolerates (but no one actually likes) chiming in with something obnoxious and self-important.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJHvSp9AKYg

Job Interviews.  No wonder I couldn't get a better job, I wuz doing it rong.  :(

YukonRon

Another download while working late in the lab. I enjoy fried rice. Or at least, I used to. I just stop in to Sopporo's for my fried rice fix, math is pretty simple:
($X/pound) + a dry Austrian riesling = yum.