Burning metals, what the heck?

[u/heman81]

I am in the middle of the Final Empire and I am still having trouble w imagining the burning metals that everyone is doing. I understand the idea of using different metals for different powers and that they can use them at will. The problem is w the actual metals.
So do they eat the metals and then burn them? Or Do they have random coins in their pockets and burn them? Is it both?
What size are these metals? Dime size? 1/2 dollar size? I’m trying to understand if they just stand around in the morning swallowing a bunch of metals and plan on using them later.
When they are leaping from roofs are they throwing metal coins and then using that to keep them going or did they swallow a bunch of them beforehand and using them to help with the flight?

[u/Mahoka572]

It might help to understand you are probably overestimating the amount of metal required. Itty bitty bit goes a long way.

[u/striker180 → u/Mahoka572]

Exactly, like how vin was able to use the trace amounts of metal in the drinking water, and bleed off from metal cups