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Freezing Vacuum

#1 User is offline   Cho'ak Sondyk Icon

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Posted 06 February 2008 - 12:43 PM

Has this been discussed before, and if so, why hasn't it been corrected?

QUOTE
Reason #15
Vacuum of Space?
[...] but the common myth of science fiction is perpetuated. After knocking out a window in space, it just gets really windy and there is only what can best be described as "a light sucking."

Luckily, the vacuum of infinite space can't compete with strong hands. As long as there is a railing to grab nearby, the vacuum and the somewhat chilly temperature of space are no obstacles.

After all, space is only around 2.725 degrees Kelvin (-454.77° Fahrenheit, -270.42° Celsius). That's nothing more than a nippy breeze blowing through the bridge of that cruiser. It is nothing like an ice storm from hell at all. It would be safe to classify that temperature as nothing more than "uncomfortable." Of course, those temperatures are merely an estimate based on the mean temperature in space. The actual temperature around Grievous's ship, Invisible Hand, could be as warm as 2.727 degrees Kelvin (-454.76° Fahrenheit, -270.42° Celsius).

There's no point in throwing numbers around if you don't understand the physics. Yes, there are small amounts of gas, as well as radiation in space. Yes, these gasses have an average temperature of 2.7 degrees. No, that doesn't mean space is cold. There is so little gas in the vacuum (tip: this is why it's called a vacuum) that virtually none will be in contact with your body. While you are warmer than the surrounding space, there is no adequate medium in that space to conduct heat away from your body. You will only lose heat slowly by radiation. Conversely, if there's a star pointing at you, you can gain heat very rapidly the same way - often fatally.

Which is beside the point, because when you're standing by a leak in the ship with air rushing past you, you're surrounded by warm air. Mixing that warm air with the tiny pressure of cold gas outside is like mixing a thimble full of cold water into a boiling kettle.

As to whether you can hold onto something, I'm not sure. The vacuum of space isn't like the constant mechanical vacuum of a vacuum claner. It doesn't suck, rather the atmosphere of your ship is constantly trying to expand to fill it. Once all the atmosphere has rushed past you there won't be any suction at all. Once some of it has rushed past you the pressure will drop and the strength of the wind will diminish. If you know the volume and pressure of the ship it should be possible to work out the forces involved, but for the purposes of critiquing star wars I'll say that I expect it would be possible for a Jedi to hang on.

All of this is leaving aside the speculation that the reason we observe sound and fire during SW space battles is that 'space' in their galaxy has a great deal more ambient gas pressure than ours. The movie still sucks, but the writer shouldn't go crowing about 'common myths of science fiction' and then go on to perpetuate just that.
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#2 User is offline   barend Icon

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Posted 07 February 2008 - 01:13 AM

I'm not defending or attacking, just chiming in to say;

Space has no temperature as such. There are no particules to cool to technically call it freezing. The only cold you would feel would be a cool feeling as moisture escapes through your bare skin.

I'll try to see if I can find the article put out by NASA about vacuum exposure for you.
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#3 User is offline   njamilla Icon

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Posted 08 February 2008 - 08:05 PM

I thought you blew up like an exploding tomato? Didn't I read that in a short story in elementary school?
Author: Sword Fighting in the Star Wars Universe.
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#4 User is offline   barend Icon

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Posted 11 February 2008 - 06:42 PM

Yes you did.
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#5 User is offline   Chefelf Icon

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Posted 11 February 2008 - 08:18 PM

Yes, this was discussed in great detail before (I think in the forums here). For more information about what happens when you check this out:

http://www.straightd...ics/a3_147.html
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#6 User is offline   Cho'ak Sondyk Icon

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Posted 18 February 2008 - 02:15 PM

QUOTE (Chefelf @ Feb 11 2008, 08:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yes, this was discussed in great detail before (I think in the forums here).


Which still doesn't explain why the article hasn't been corrected.
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