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A fun physics question

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by 2000YELLOW360, Dec 18, 2005.

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Astronaut

  1. Does not get any juice coming up the straw

  2. Enjoys a sugar high from the juice

  3. Spills coke all over the rocket

  4. Watches the coke can explode

  5. None of the above (added by mod for his own personal amusement)

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  1. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    #1 2000YELLOW360, Dec 18, 2005
    An astronaut takes a bottle of juice into space. Once in space (no gravity, no air pressure) the astronaut opens up the bottle , careful not to spill the juice. Next, the astronaut inserts a drinking straw into the bottle and makes sure the straw goes halfway down into the juice. This astronaut has a special nose breathing suit so his mouth is free. He sucks on the straw. What happens?

    Bonus question, if you answered that nothing happens, what would you need to do to make sure the juice goes up the straw?
     
  2. loki

    loki Guest

    Jul 25, 2005
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    #2 loki, Dec 18, 2005


    Since you said "no air pressure," then the can of Coke will spray out. If you don't believe that, just open a can of Coke here where the air pressure is 14.7psi and see what happens
     
  3. shiznut123

    shiznut123 Karting

    Nov 15, 2003
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    #3 shiznut123, Dec 18, 2005
    Is his mouth exposed to space?
     
  4. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    #4 2000YELLOW360, Dec 18, 2005
    I changed the question when I realized this...it is now juice! I left the last two choices worded with coke on purpose...to make it easy to eliminate them!
     
  5. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    #5 2000YELLOW360, Dec 18, 2005
    Mouth is exposed to space. Astronaut has other end of straw in his mouth. One end in juice in bottle, the other in his mouth.
     
  6. rivee

    rivee F1 Rookie

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    #6 rivee, Dec 18, 2005
    If he is in space without air pressure, he couldn't drink anything because he's dead.

    But, if he happens to survive his time in space with only a nose breathing apparatus, and tries to suck the juice out of a bottle with his mouth, via a straw, nothing happens. He would have to blow the air meant for his nose, into the bottle to displace the area previously occupied by the juice, to release the juice into the straw and into his mouth.
     
  7. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ
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    #7 MarkPDX, Dec 18, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I'm not sure exactly how it would all go down due to my limited knowledge of anatomy (suffocation or maybe something more spectacular?) but the astronaut would die in rather short order because any air in his (or her) lungs would rush out into the vacuum of space. I have had the pleasure of a simulated rapid decompression in a chamber.... 8k feet to 25k feet in 1 second will take your breath away :)

    Additionally the juice/soda/water whatever would be rapidly boiling away........
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  8. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 wax, Dec 18, 2005
    Since "spills 'coke' all over the rocket" is a poll option, this indicates he's inside the craft, and it's feedin' time.

    If such is the case, and he's enjoying some anti-gravity, he absolutely must drink the entire contents of the juice container through a straw, otherwise - it's anywhere and everywhere, and as such, the preceding option is the one I've chosen.
     
  9. rammsteinmatt

    rammsteinmatt Formula Junior

    Jul 26, 2005
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    #9 rammsteinmatt, Dec 18, 2005
    goes into space with only a nose piece to breathe - air rushes out of lungs, whole body freezes/melts (its real cold/hot out there), gets bombarded by huge radiation doses (depending where he is and is facing
    has open container of juice - juice boils/freezes depending what the sun conditions are like
    suppose juice didnt freeze, there would be no relative gravity to keep it down (assuming we are in orbit)

    assume we are in an aritficial vacuum, so we could complete this mission without dying. straw into cup, suck.....sucking the lack of air in the straw will not create a low pressure and therefore pull fluid up the straw :)

    isn't space fun?
     
  10. shiggins

    shiggins Formula 3

    Nov 20, 2004
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    #10 shiggins, Dec 18, 2005
    I think he has bigger problems than getting the juice if his mouth is exposed to the vacuum of space.
     
  11. Kram

    Kram Formula Junior

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    #11 Kram, Dec 18, 2005
    Ignoring the odd space suit construction, if the astronaut is in open space then the instant he takes the cap off the bottle the liquid will boil (that is evaporate before reaching the liquid’s surface) away and become a gas mixed with ice crystals. What he will be in fact holding is a small rocket motor with a liquid propellant. Forget the straw, he won’t be able to get anything near the bottle top! For every action there is a equal and opposite reaction, thus the spewing contents of the bottle will probably cause him to spin about uncontrollably, or, if he is looking directly down at the bottle top, the drink will shoot out of his hand and zoom away.

    It will be a hell of a mess either way.
     

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