Absence of dust on moon and material sciences

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the absence of dust on the Moon, particularly in relation to the experiences of astronauts and the implications for material sciences. Participants explore the interactions of surfaces, electrostatic charges, and the effects of the Moon's lack of atmosphere on dust behavior.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the absence of dust might relate to material sciences, suggesting that surfaces could interact electronically to seek a stable energy configuration.
  • Others argue that there is indeed dust on the Moon, but it does not remain suspended in the air due to the lack of atmosphere, leading to a basic physics problem regarding how quickly particles return to the surface.
  • A participant clarifies that the discussion may be about the adherence of dust to surfaces, particularly in relation to Apollo missions and the behavior of dust on lunar suits.
  • Another point raised is the role of an atmosphere in discharging electrostatic charges, which could affect how dust particles cling to surfaces.
  • Some participants mention that the Moon's lack of atmosphere allows for unique electrostatic effects, such as levitating dust and dust fountains.
  • It is noted that lunar dust is rough and jagged, which may contribute to its tendency to stick together, unlike the smoother, rounded dust found on Earth.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding the presence and behavior of dust on the Moon, with some asserting its absence in the air and others emphasizing its adherence to surfaces. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the dependence on definitions of dust behavior and adherence, as well as the implications of atmospheric conditions on electrostatic interactions, which remain unresolved.

zankaon
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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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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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
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.
 

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