How Weather Impacts Aromas - | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

How Weather Impacts Aromas

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It's that time of year when the scent of cinnamon becomes popular. Cinnamon sticks and cones at Food City are first out on the floor by September 1st, but if you purchased them then, the scent is probably gone.

Rodney Dillard the District Manager of Food City says, "If they put it on the outside naturally it's going to dissipate a little bit quicker, but if you put it on the inside of the house, you may get a month to two months out of them."

You can actually revamp the cinnamon smell by adding heat. Dillard says he puts his in his sun room at home.

Here's how it breaks down, the cinnamon sticks - in this case - contain molecules called Cinnamaldehyde. Channel 3 interviewed Chemistry Professor Dr. Kyle Knight about how we breathe these molecules in.

 "When we smell something we breathe in the molecules of the substance that we're smelling. The molecules evaporate into the air," says Knight.

When heat is added, just like anything else.... the rate of evaporation increases and therefore the scent increases. Dr. Knight says this works with any substance you can smell.

Knight adds, "Pretty much anything that you heat that smells, the heat will give it a burst of aroma, but then it's going to increase the rate at which the aroma goes away."

The best place to store these sticks and cones would be in a cool, dry place to make these last longer. Placing them in the sun or adding steam from a shower will increase the evaporation. Food City tells Channel 3 that they plan on getting more brooms and pine cones through the end of November.

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