Is Cold a Universal Phenomenon in Space?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of cold and heat in space and whether cold can travel like heat does. It also explores the possibility of a planet having moons that are cold because the planet itself is cold. The conversation concludes that cold is the absence of heat and doesn't have the ability to travel like heat does. It also mentions the use of resonance as a possible explanation for a light-emitting, cold object removing energy from an orbiting planet. Additionally, it touches upon the idea of rotating objects in orbit to regulate their temperature and the use of extreme cold in space. The conversation ends with a lighthearted comment about the possible source of light for the "star" in the book idea.
  • #1
C4t4StRoPhIc
2
0
Does what we as humans consider "cold" travel through space like heat does? Could a planet have moons that are cold because the planet itself is cold? I know cold is really just air, but could it somehow travel from one astronomical body to another?
 
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  • #2
Cold is just lack of heat. We only use the word cold to measure the temperature of things.
Heat is a form of energy. Starting at 0kelvin and going till infinite or so. 0k = -273.15 celsius.
 
  • #3
well, here's the deal. i am a writer, and i have a new idea for a book, but in the book, a planet is constantly cold beyond all reason because of their "star" (actually a planet) is just a solid clump of ice 100 times the size of Jupiter. would it be possible for the cold to transfer from the ice block in the vacuum of space?
 
  • #4
How does the 'star' produce light?

No, cold doesn't travel in the same way that heat does. However, heat wouldn't be coming from anywhere else, so your planet would definitely be cold. If somehow the planet heated up but the star didn't, then either the planet would cool down pretty quickly when it moved away (heat would be radiated into the cold of space and towards the cold star), or it would need to have a LOT of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere.

So the star wouldn't 'give' the planet 'cold', but it would take its heat away instead (although chances are it wouldn't have any heat to speak of).
 
  • #5
If you are looking for a physical mechanism for a light emitting, cold thing removing energy from a orbiting planet you're going to struggle.

If two astronomical bodies are separated by vacuum, they can generally only send energy to each other. They can't take it.

From the point of view of a story, I'd dispense with requiring a physical explanation and have the situation exist without explanation. If you want to use a physical sounding term that might be involved, may I suggest 'resonance'. You can blame everything on that.
 
  • #6
C4t4StRoPhIc said:
well, here's the deal. i am a writer, and i have a new idea for a book, but in the book, a planet is constantly cold beyond all reason because of their "star" (actually a planet) is just a solid clump of ice 100 times the size of Jupiter. would it be possible for the cold to transfer from the ice block in the vacuum of space?

It would help to think of cold as the ground state for everything. If you're not receiving energy, you're cold. In the absence of any significant energy source, the ground state is cold.
 
  • #7
C4t4StRoPhIc said:
Does what we as humans consider "cold" travel through space like heat does? Could a planet have moons that are cold because the planet itself is cold? I know cold is really just air, but could it somehow travel from one astronomical body to another?

Bear in mind that “cold” isn’t a form of energy; it is merely the absence thereof, so “cold” naturally exists in the absence of heat energy. "Cold" therefore, doesn’t radiate rather, that which is cold absorbs heat energy, so “cold” has no need to travel since heat energy provides the energy for its own transport. If you remove all sources of heat, objects begin to immediately cool down. This is why the shaded side of an object in the vacuum of space would otherwise be frigid when the energy from our Sun is merely blocked by an opaque object. This is just one of the reasons that many objects placed in orbit that must be protected from extreme cold are typically rotated to help regulate the object’s temperature. Of course, that which requires extreme cold is kept shaded from the Sun to make use of the extreme cold that naturally exists in the absence of an energy source (as when attempting to prevent liquid helium from boiling off before its time in satellites).
 
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  • #8
vickyc said:
How does the 'star' produce light?

It's maybe a dark sucker ? :tongue2:
 

1. Does temperature affect the speed of cold in space?

Yes, temperature does affect the speed of cold in space. The colder an object is, the slower its molecules will move, resulting in slower energy transfer. However, in the vacuum of space, there is no medium for the cold to travel through, so it does not truly have a speed.

2. Can cold travel through the vacuum of space?

No, cold cannot travel through the vacuum of space. Cold is not a physical object, but rather a description of the absence of heat. In the vacuum of space, there is no medium for cold to travel through, so it does not truly "travel" in the traditional sense.

3. Is there a temperature limit in space?

There is no absolute temperature limit in space. The temperature in space can range from near absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius) in the shadows of objects to millions of degrees in areas where there is high energy activity, such as near stars or black holes.

4. How does the absence of air in space affect temperature?

The absence of air in space does not directly affect temperature. Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles, and in the vacuum of space, there are very few particles to have kinetic energy. However, objects in space can still be affected by radiation and energy from nearby sources, which can impact their temperature.

5. Can objects get colder in space?

Yes, objects can get colder in space. Without an atmosphere to trap heat, objects in space will eventually reach the same temperature as the surrounding area, which can be very cold. However, the rate at which objects lose heat in space is dependent on their insulation and exposure to external sources of energy, so some objects may retain their heat for longer periods of time.

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