If Space Is A Vacuum?

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 17:43:58 GMT, "Mike Ruskai"
wrote:

A vacuum does not suck. Molecules get pushed into vacuums, because there
are other molecules on the non-vacuum side that keep bumping into them
(the first molecules), but nothing in the vacuum to push back.

In other words, things get blown into a vacuum, not sucked.

I don't disagree with your assessment of the physical reality here, but from a
purely linguistic standpoint, I think it is fair to say that vacuums "suck".
What is suction, but the movement of a gas or liquid because of a pressure
differential? Just because there is no magical force provided by the vacuum
pulling particles in doesn't mean it isn't sucking.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 21:31:57 GMT, Chris L Peterson
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 17:43:58 GMT, "Mike Ruskai"
wrote:

A vacuum does not suck. Molecules get pushed into vacuums, because there
are other molecules on the non-vacuum side that keep bumping into them
(the first molecules), but nothing in the vacuum to push back.

In other words, things get blown into a vacuum, not sucked.

I don't disagree with your assessment of the physical reality here, but from a
purely linguistic standpoint, I think it is fair to say that vacuums "suck".
What is suction, but the movement of a gas or liquid because of a pressure
differential? Just because there is no magical force provided by the vacuum
pulling particles in doesn't mean it isn't sucking.


YES..vacuums' suck and gravity's a bitch!

I think sucking implies a mechanical force being applied for an
intended goal and in a direction. It has a vector quality. Sounds
relative ta me.

Gig Thomas...The George Bush of astronomy

In message , Gig Thomas
writes
If space is a vacuum how does a hot ball of gas stay together as long as
some astronomers claim it has?

Gravity. The same reason why the Earth still has an atmosphere and
Newton saw the apple fall from a tree.

Would all the gas be sucked off into space.
I remember seeing a move about outer space where a space mans suit had a
problem and his eyes popped out and all from the vacuum and how Arnolds
eyes almost popped out on Mars. See that was from the lack of oxygen.

No that was Hollywood special effects. Stanley Kubrick probably got it
more nearly right in 2001 a space odyssey. You would suffer extreme
discomfort due to pressure differentials in the ears and lungs, and
maybe nitrogen bubbles in the blood but it would be survivable provided
you had some oxygen fairly quickly. Not all that much different to
having explosive decompression of an airline cabin at maximum cruise
height.

Is there something in space that sort of makes up for the lack of Oxygen?
Is that how the Sun keeps from fizzing away.

A minuscule amount of the suns surface does escape - look up solar wind.
But the amount is so small as not to matter. In HHGG terms the sun is
*BIG*. Gravity holds it all together, radiation pressure from light
escaping tries to blow it apart - the suns size is set by their being in
balance.

We see aurora when there is a stronger than normal flux of fast
particles escape from the sun in our direction.

My son has been asking me
about this and I've been telling him this business I heard about gravity
and all but golly space is so big and the sun even though it's small
compared to the earth is still much smaller than space if you know what I
mean. Something else has to be holding it together or else I have the whole
gravity wave thing wrong.

The sun is much much bigger and massively heavier than the Earth. Venus
recently passed in front of the sun so you could see an inner planet
and the suns disk together.

Thanks for you patience with a novice.

If you all don't mind I might as a couple other things about the Sun that
have been pondering me.

You probably want to find an introductory astronomy book for your
youngster. Something with pictures and facts about the planets in the
solar system.

His questions are reasonable but need decent answers given at the right
level. Anyone with an interest in science should be encouraged.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

On Fri, 06 Aug 2004 14:32:13 -0700, Gig Thomas wrote:

If space is a vacuum how does a hot ball of gas stay together as long as
some astronomers claim it has? Would all the gas be sucked off into space.
I remember seeing a move about outer space where a space mans suit had a
problem and his eyes popped out and all from the vacuum and how Arnolds
eyes almost popped out on Mars. See that was from the lack of oxygen.
Is there something in space that sort of makes up for the lack of Oxygen?
Is that how the Sun keeps from fizzing away. My son has been asking me
about this and I've been telling him this business I heard about gravity
and all but golly space is so big and the sun even though it's small
compared to the earth is still much smaller than space if you know what I
mean. Something else has to be holding it together or else I have the whole
gravity wave thing wrong.
Thanks for you patience with a novice.

If you all don't mind I might as a couple other things about the Sun that
have been pondering me.

Thanks

Gig in MO


Gig it's more likely an effect of the attractive and repulsive foorse of
the whole orbit Atom. See there is the partial and the whole orbit Atom.
The whole orbit Atom has the full attractive force and the other doesn't.
Don't ask me why it isn't important to your question and no doubt one of
the nimrods here will attempt a wordy and utterly confusing explanation of
it or they will shrink from the discription and claim my point is bogus,
Just ignore them for they are unGodly Fools.

Gig it's more likely an effect of the attractive and repulsive foorse of
the whole orbit Atom. See there is the partial and the whole orbit Atom.
The whole orbit Atom has the full attractive force and the other doesn't.
Don't ask me why it isn't important to your question and no doubt one of
the nimrods here will attempt a wordy and utterly confusing explanation of
it or they will shrink from the discription and claim my point is bogus,
Just ignore them for they are unGodly Fools.

Another coprophagic nitwit idea.
Clear, Dark, Steady Skies!
(And considerate neighbors!!!)