Can a Liquid Survive in a Vacuum Without Vaporizing?

[hellboy4444]

can a liquid exist in vacuum? Wouldn't it vaporize to gaseous form?

 

[mathman]

Temperature might have an effect.

 

[Godspanther]

It would depend entirely on the liquid. Temperature would have the greatest effect of course. Water for example might evaporate but since most space is cold I believe it would more likely freeze. Density might also play a role. I imagine that mercury for example would be effected very little.

 

[klimatos]

It would depend entirely on the liquid. Temperature would have the greatest effect of course. Water for example might evaporate but since most space is cold I believe it would more likely freeze. Density might also play a role. I imagine that mercury for example would be effected very little.

Ice vaporizes quite nicely, thank you. More of the world snowfall evaporates than melts. Mercury will vaporize well before a perfect vacuum is reached. In short, if the vapor pressure (solids have vapor pressures, too) is less than the equilibrium vapor pressure, the substance will vaporize. For things like diamonds, this may take a while, but it will eventually happen.

 

[Dr_Morbius]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vapor_pressure