Absence of dust on moon and material sciences

In summary, the absence of dust on the moon can be attributed to the lack of an atmosphere, which prevents the discharge of electrostatic charges and allows particles to stick together. This is in contrast to Earth, where weathering and a surface layer of air/moisture/chemicals on dust particles results in a smoother and less sticky surface. The importance of material sciences is evident in understanding the interactions between surfaces and their electronic properties, and how this can affect the behavior of dust particles in different environments, such as on the moon and on Earth. This knowledge can also be applied to practical applications, such as improving the design of machines for space exploration.
  • #1
zankaon
166
0
Might absence of dust on moon (such as for astronauts' experience) relate to importance of material sciences? That is, might surfaces interact electronically, seeking a more stable lowest energy configuration? Imaging it as if 2 grates rubbing together, seeking best fit? Air might then disrupt such surface interaction, such as for Martian dust. Hence then the ancillary idea of moving surfaces slightly intermittently, so as to disrupt such 'settling in', for joints of machines, such as Canadian arm on shuttle, and for space probes such as Huygens-Cassini.
 
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  • #2
Dust on the moon? What are you on about? There is plenty of dust on the moon. It does not hang in the air because there is no air for it to hang in. Any particle that is not on the surface will fall with NO air resistance, so it is a simply proplem of basic physics to find how long it will take to return to the moons surface.
 
  • #3
Integral said:
Dust on the moon? What are you on about? There is plenty of dust on the moon. It does not hang in the air because there is no air for it to hang in. Any particle that is not on the surface will fall with NO air resistance, so it is a simply proplem of basic physics to find how long it will take to return to the moons surface.

I think s/he means "adherence" of dust on the Moon. Obviously talking about how "adhesively" the stuff stuck to the "Apollo" moonsuits and everything else.
 
  • #4
qraal said:
I think s/he means "adherence" of dust on the Moon. Obviously talking about how "adhesively" the stuff stuck to the "Apollo" moonsuits and everything else.

I think you've got it. What role does an atmosphere play in discharging electrostatic charges, so that clinging dust particles may fall-away?
 
  • #5
Phrak said:
I think you've got it. What role does an atmosphere play in discharging electrostatic charges, so that clinging dust particles may fall-away?

Well atmosphere allows electrostatic charges to slow leak away from a surface and obviously the Moon doesn't have that process to allow charge to escape. It does have some other weird electrostatic effects like levitating dust and dust fountains.
 
  • #6
Also because of the lack of an atmosphere the dust on the moon is rough and jagged so tends to stick together, especially since there is nothing between adjacent atoms on different dust particles..
On Earth any dust has been weathered into a smoother rounded shape and is less likely to stick together because there is always a surface layer of air/moisture/chemicals on each particle.
 

1. Why is there no dust on the moon?

The absence of dust on the moon is due to its lack of atmosphere. On Earth, dust particles get blown around and eventually settle due to wind and weather patterns. However, the moon has no atmosphere to create these effects, so dust particles remain in place.

2. Has the absence of dust on the moon been confirmed?

Yes, the Apollo missions that landed on the moon brought back samples of moon dust for analysis. Scientists have also used lunar orbiters to study the moon's surface and confirm the absence of dust.

3. How does the absence of dust on the moon affect material sciences?

The lack of dust on the moon has significant impacts on material sciences. The absence of weathering and erosion processes means that materials on the moon remain relatively unchanged, allowing scientists to study their original properties and composition. This also makes the moon an ideal location for studying the effects of space radiation and vacuum on materials.

4. Can the absence of dust on the moon be explained by the moon's gravity?

The moon's gravity does play a role in the absence of dust, as it is not strong enough to hold onto an atmosphere. Without an atmosphere, dust particles do not have anything to settle on or get blown around by, leading to the lack of dust on the moon's surface.

5. Are there any other factors that contribute to the absence of dust on the moon?

Yes, the moon's surface is constantly bombarded by solar winds, which can cause dust particles to be blown away or break down into smaller pieces. The moon's low gravity also means that any dust particles that are kicked up by impacts or movements will escape into space rather than falling back to the surface. These factors also contribute to the absence of dust on the moon.

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