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Water-Only Thin Films In Space

Posted by timothy on from the renaissance-man dept.

If you've ever waved a bubble wand (or mixed some of your own with detergent, glycerine and water), you might be surprized to find that in space, it's much less complicated to form a film of liquid: all you need is water. The embedded videos are nifty, and render nicely in Mozilla.

14 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. Embedded Videos? by ntr0py · · Score: 1

    In Mozilla? Now that would be news.

    Too bad they're just animated GIFs, though.

    1. Re:Embedded Videos? by molo · · Score: 1

      Try this:

      http://mplayerplug-in.sourceforge.net/

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  2. Already been posted in Feb 03 by mTor · · Score: 4, Informative
    Check the following link: http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/02/2 6/1328254&mode=nested&tid=134

    There is some really interesting links in the comments.

  3. zero-g beaker by TheClam · · Score: 1

    What is a zero-g beaker?

    Can I buy one from Chemglass?

    1. Re:zero-g beaker by TheClam · · Score: 1

      Never mind. It's just a plastic baggie.

      http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/general_info/25feb _n osoap.html

  4. It's True, You don't need soap! by Syncdata · · Score: 1

    Any liquid will do, even your own saliva. You mean to tell me back during your elementary school days, when you had a substitute, you didn't blow bubbles with your own spit?
    I suppose, instead of disrupting class, I was engaging in scientific experimentation, at least to NASA standards.

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    1. Re:It's True, You don't need soap! by sporty · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I learned it.

      The only reason a bubble will ever stay intact is if the surface tension is even, with all bubbles on earth that are liquid. No one start on me about glass :P).

      The reason bubbles pop is due to gravity pulling the liquid down, causing a collection at the bottom in the case of light bubbles. The air stays up, the liquid wants to go down. Since liquid is liquid (liquidity!) it collects at the bottom of the bubble. So you have 3 forces contending. Gravity pulling down, surface tension and the air inside preventing it from becoming a drop of water.

      Eventually, the liquid gathers at the bottom. Air can't escape yet 'cause it's a bubble. The liquid gathering on the bottom is from the surface of the bubble.. The surface of the bubble becomes thinner until it can't hold. Then, pop, it falls down (not outward).

      Am I right?

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      ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only

  5. Re:Not surprised by SoCalChris · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm astonished that this is the sort of thing trained astronauts are doing out there on their expensive vacations.

    If you had read the article, you would have known that this wasn't one of NASA's experiments. He did this in his free time on a Saturday morning, all on his own.

  6. One word by tsa · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dupe

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  7. Re:Not surprised - MOD PARENT DOWN, STOLEN COMMENT by kilonad · · Score: 1

    You stole this comment from topologist (644470). Here's the link to his post in the original story: Hydrogen bonds..

  8. Goddamn hippy astronauts. by s0l0m0n · · Score: 1

    'fascinating patterns emerged--some that looked like spiral galaxies. "These tracer particle patterns lasted for well over four hours."'

    'One of his paintings looked like an eagle, others like abstract art.'

    Blowing bubbles, painting pretty colors on 'em?

    Sounds like the first case of extraplanetary drug smuggling to me.

  9. Re:Not surprised - MOD PARENT DOWN, STOLEN COMMENT by Samus · · Score: 1

    Guilty as charged. I was testing a theory I had about duplicate stories. Pretty funny that one of the replies to my stolen comment is about the same as the original poster had.

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    In Republican America phones tap you.
  10. Re:bad grammar by spaten-optimator · · Score: 1

    Actually, if you were being completely correct, you wouldn't want to use passive voice. But I'm sure you knew that. "Mozilla renders the HTML." Furthermore, I don't think animated GIFs qualify as videos.

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    Disclaimer: The above statement probably includes half-truths, because real truth is too complicated.
  11. Re:bad grammar by nkuitse · · Score: 1

    Original post:

    The embedded videos are nifty, and render nicely in Mozilla.

    Furthermore, HTML does not render. A browser renders HTML.

    The original poster is using the verb render in an unaccusative construction, which is common in English. (For example, The door opened is the unaccusative counterpart to the passive form The door was opened.) I've used render this way myself and it's perfectly grammatical to me. Of course your lect may differ from mine.