Can A Fire Burn In Space?

Without gravity, hot air expands but doesn’t move upward. The flame persists because of the diffusion of oxygen, with random oxygen molecules drifting into the fire. Absent the upward flow of hot air, fires in microgravity are dome-shaped or spherical—and sluggish, thanks to meager oxygen flow.

Would a lighter work in space?

It will light, but not for long. Without gravity there’s no convection and without convection there’s no fresh air supply. The flame will look as a little fireball and it will light until consumes all oxygen in closest proximity.

Is it illegal to build a flamethrower?

In the United States, private ownership of a flamethrower is not restricted by federal law, because flamethrower is a tool, not a firearm. Flamethrowers are legal in 48 states and restricted in California and Maryland.

Is making napalm legal?

Napalm is legal to use on the battlefield under international law. Its use against “concentrations of civilians” is a war crime.

Who invented flamethrowers?

Originally invented by a German engineer, Richard Fiedler, in 1900 the flamethrower was accepted into service by the German Army in 1911 and was used by specialist assault engineer units.

Is it possible to smoke in space?

We know that NASA astronauts are not allowed to smoke or drink while they’re working up there. Smoking would create a major safety hazard, after all, and cannabis is still illegal in most of the U.S. But exciting new research is showing us it may be a possibility after all!

Can you burp in space?

An astronaut’s burps are different than those experienced on Earth. If an astronaut does burp in space, it comes out as a wet burp!

What does space smell like?

Astronaut Thomas Jones said it “carries a distinct odor of ozone, a faint acrid smell…a little like gunpowder, sulfurous.” Tony Antonelli, another space-walker, said space “definitely has a smell that’s different than anything else.” A gentleman named Don Pettit was a bit more verbose on the topic: “Each time, when I …

Is the sun technically on fire?

Answer: The Sun does not “burn”, like we think of logs in a fire or paper burning. The Sun glows because it is a very big ball of gas, and a process called nuclear fusion is taking place in its core.

Can you light a fire on Mars?

We know that fire can only burn naturally on our planet, and Mars doesn’t have a dense atmosphere or enough oxygen to allow flames to burn – but space station and spacecraft fires are a very real danger, and with crews living and working in close proximity, fire would be disastrous.

Why can’t you light a candle in a spaceship?

Diffusion feeds the flame with oxygen and allows carbon dioxide to move away from the point of combustion, so the rate of burning is slowed. The flame of a candle burned in microgravity is an almost invisible blue, so invisible that video cameras on the Mir Space Station could not even detect the color.

Are explosions possible in space?

In space no one can hear you explode… Many astronomical objects such as novae, supernovae and black hole mergers are known to catastrophically ‘explode’. … But as long as the explosion doesn’t require oxygen, then it will work in much the same way in space as on Earth.

Can you light a match on the moon?

“The fuel and oxidizer in a match head would cause the tip to burn, but not for long because of lack of oxygen.” And in the moon’s complete lack of atmosphere, a match cannot ignite at all — explanation enough for why Neil Armstrong didn’t celebrate his step onto the lunar surface with a candlelight dinner.

Can u cry in space?

There’s no crying in baseball, and now there’s no crying in space. While the zero gravity atmosphere does not have an impact on tears forming, it has an affect on if they fall, and they don’t. … The tech savvy astronaut tweeted in January that it can hurt to squirt tears in space, since they “don’t shed.”

Would a fart move you in space?

Short answer: Yes. Flatulence would propel an astronaut forward very slowly, but if you used the gas as fuel for a combustion reaction the astronaut could get going much faster. Longer answer: Gas diffusing will carry a small amount of momentum backwards, so it must exert a force on the person, pushing them forward.

Can you talk in space?

When astronauts are out in space, they can whistle, talk, or even yell inside their own spacesuit, but the other astronauts would not hear the noise. … Because there is nothing out in space (like an atmosphere), the sound waves from one astronaut’s whistling can’t travel over to the other astronaut’s ears.

Can u get pregnant in space?

As a result NASA’s official policy forbids pregnancy in space. Female astronauts are tested regularly in the 10 days prior to launch. And sex in space is very much frowned upon.

Is the American flag still on the moon?

Unfortunately, the six flags planted on the lunar surface from 1969 through 1972 haven’t fared so well. Images taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2012 showed that at least five out six flags were still standing. … The flags are probably completely bone-white by now, as we first learned from Gizmodo.

Are their laws in space?

Space, like the high seas, is considered res communis – it belongs to everyone and to no one, nor can any country lay claim to it. But that doesn’t mean the high seas and outer space are free from national laws. … The Outer Space Treaty is one of the most relevant when it comes to dealing with alleged crimes in space.

Is Greek fire real?

True Greek fire was evidently a petroleum-based mixture, however. … It was invented during the reign of Constantine IV Pogonatus (668–685) by Callinicus of Heliopolis, a Greek-speaking Jewish refugee who had fled the Arab conquest of Syria.

How far can a flamethrower shoot?

With the valve open, the pressurized fuel can flow through the nozzle. A flamethrower like this one can shoot a fuel stream as far as 50 yards (46 meters). As it exits the nozzle, the fuel flows past the ignition system.

What was the most powerful land based weapon?

25-megaton hydrogen bomb

The B-41 hydrogen bomb, first deployed in September 1960, is the most powerful weapon ever created by the US, with a maximum yield of 25 megatons, or equivalent to 25 million tons of TNT.