Moon Dust Dilemma
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.
NASA is on a mission to collect dust from the moon's surface. A team is put together to design an apparatus that an astronaut can use to accomplish this task. One member of the team designs a type of vacuum cleaner which can be used to suck up and collect the dust. He is immediately fired for his incompetence. What was wrong with his plan?
HintWhy do they call it a vacuum cleaner?
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Answer
Since the moon has no atmosphere, it is already under vacuum. The reason a vacuum cleaner works is that the pressure drop between the air in the room and the vacuum bag causes air to rush into the bag, carrying some dirt with it. Since there is no pressure drop between the vacuum chamber and the moon's surface, you could not suck up moon dust.
Also, there is no air on the moon to carry the dust along, anyway. A solid is not affected by a vacuum. If it were, the moon would have exploded by now.
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Comments
Mogmatt16   
Apr 23, 2002
| Question: how did there get to be dust on the moon? |
Pizzahead
Apr 26, 2002
| It's called gravity, and it works without air. |
Mogmatt16
Apr 26, 2002
| ? how did gravity make dust? |
pusandave
Apr 27, 2002
| When an astroid hits the surface of the moon it causes a crater and expells soil and dust around the moon. Gravity pulls portions of it back to the surface. Hence, gravity keeps the dust on the surface unless it is disturbed by an outside force. |
Mogmatt16
Apr 29, 2002
| Well how did the dust get so far away from the craters? It can't go in clouds. |
MrBean
Jun 03, 2002
| The top layer of the moon's surface is dust and "loose" bits of rock and dirt from being hit by asteroids so much (other reasons apply as well- volcanic eruptions, tetonic movements, etc...).
If I remember correctly, it's about 20ft deep- but don't quote me on that. |
(user deleted)
Oct 14, 2002
| If, as quoted in the problem, the guy "designs a type of vacuum cleaner which CAN be used to suck up and collect the dust", then it must work, right? Or else, the question is faulty. |
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