# Why are silent farts so evilly foul? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072 "2003-01-07T02:32:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/21 "2003-01-07T05:31:55Z")
> [@](#): > > [**Gas**](http://www.diet-and-health.net/Diseases/Flatulence.html) is made primarily of odorless vapors-carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sometimes methane. The unpleasant odor of flatulence comes from bacteria in the large intestine that release small amounts of gases that contain sulfur. > > Although having gas is common, it can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. Understanding causes, ways to reduce symptoms, > and treatment will help most people find relief. > > Air swallowing (aerophagia) is a common cause of gas in the stomach. Everyone swallows small amounts of air when eating and drinking. However, eating or drinking rapidly, chewing gum, smoking, or wearing loose dentures can cause some people to take in more air. > > Burping, or belching, is the way most swallowed air–which contains nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide–leaves the stomach. The remaining gas moves into the small intestine where it is partially absorbed. A small amount travels into the large intestine for > release through the rectum. (The stomach also releases carbon dioxide when stomach acid and bicarbonate mix, but most of this gas is absorbed into the bloodstream and does not enter the large intestine). [ul]😛 [sup]Didn’t think I could do it, did you?[/sup][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/22 "2003-01-07T06:26:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > **I was about to post a witty reply to Herman Cheruscan’s post about a mispelled word.** But then you misspelled “misspelled”. . . ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/23 "2003-01-07T06:36:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*Burping, or belching, is the way most swallowed air–which contains nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide–leaves the stomach. The remaining gas moves into the small intestine where it is partially absorbed. A small amount travels into the large intestine for release through the rectum. This would seem to contradict your statement that noisy farts are mostly swallowed air. Also, methane does not account for the smell of farts, as it is odorless. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/24 "2003-01-07T06:40:22Z")
Yeah but **kniz** your cite only confirms that some farts consist of swallowed air. Which is not the issue raised by the OP, nor the issue regarding which Sam Stone requested a cite. Not that I think you are necessarily wrong, yours is the best explanation yet IMHO. But you _are_ yet to provide a meaningful cite, I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/25 "2003-01-07T07:06:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \* > **Also, methane does not account for the smell of farts, as it is odorless.** Right, methane is odorless, but I said: > [@](#): > > The bad smell of a fart is caused by bacteria, which have been dining and it is their waste that causes the methane _and_ the smell. The smell as stated is sulfur, which basically is their feces. ☹ [sup]Sorry, but it is too late to argue about swallowed air, folks.[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/26 "2003-01-07T07:13:55Z")
[http://bored.com](http://bored.com) has The Facts On Farts–if you really must know them and want to scroll down and find 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/27 "2003-01-07T07:24:06Z")
[http://www.heptune.com/farts.html](http://www.heptune.com/farts.html) ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072/28 "2003-01-08T02:10:47Z")
Right out of **Violet** ’s cite > [@](#): > > **Most fart gas comes from swallowed air and consists largely of nitrogen and carbon dioxide** Also from my cite: > [@](#): > > **The most common ways to reduce the discomfort of gas are changing diet, taking medicines, and reducing the amount of air swallowed.** It does seem that methane isn’t really involved and only some people produce it. [ul]🆒 [sup]I’m certainly glad that we ironed out all the wrinkles in this subject and doctumented them at least twice.[/sup][/ul] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-silent-farts-so-evilly-foul/147072.md?page=1)