No sound in vacuum? So can I clap more?

[prakhargupta3301]

I was just wondering (Wondering!? Stop wasting our precious time!) about clapping my hands.
*Claps*
It's sound energy. A little energy is released as heat.
Good.
This means that I have used some energy from my body. In making those two energies.
Right.
<<Mentor note: rant removed>>
So, I am in a vacuum. And I clap. Wonderful. I hear no sound.
But does this mean that the clap sound isn't being produced at all?
That is, the energy which was being converted to heat and sound is now being converted to just heat ( I understand there will be friction. Else there won't be any clap.)
So, the question is: Can I clap more times in a vacuum? As energy use is reduced?

Thanks for reading. Keep physicking.

 

[A.T.]

But does this mean that the clap sound isn't being produced at all?

There would still be sound waves in your body

Can I clap more times in a vacuum? As energy use is reduced?

Your hands have no drag, so that makes it easier.

 

[anorlunda]

In air, some of the energy is converted to sound (vibrations in the air) and carried away.

In a vacuum, there is no air to vibrate. There might be vibrations in your flesh and blood. But less energy is carried away from your hands, so more heat will be generated.

 

[sophiecentaur]

Your hands have no drag, so that makes it easier.

I suspect it would feel noticeably different as they come together with no air in between them. Your mind would probably be on other things at the time but you could be applauding the skill of the airlock operator (ironically, perhaps).

 

[berkeman]

http://sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/in-space-no-one-can-hear-you-scream.png

 

[essenmein]

I would think the proportion of energy that comes out as sound from a hand clap is minimal compared to the kinetic energy exchange that's happening when you accelerate your hand then collide it with the other hand. Just look at the mass difference, you are moving and stopping water filled meat ballons (~1kg/liter) to move air (1.2g/liter).

 

[bhobba]

So, I am in a vacuum. And I clap. Wonderful. I hear no sound.

You mean before you explode from being in a vacuum. You can't clap in a vacuum because you would not be alive. Suppose you are in a space suit and clap - sound will be produced inside the suit as per normal. The suit will of course also vibrate - but that vibration will not transfer energy to anything outside because there is nothing outside - but inside - it's as per normal.

A much better question is all these movable parts they have on say the space-station etc exposed to space - what happens to the sound they would normally make when they move if it was here on earth.

I will let you think about that one.

Thanks
Bill

 

[Khashishi]

You mean before you explode from being in a vacuum

You don't explode in a vacuum. You'd die pretty quickly, but you could probably clap a few times before you went.

 

[essenmein]

You don't explode in a vacuum. You'd die pretty quickly, but you could probably clap a few times before you went.

Its not even that quick in the general scheme of things... Its actually horrifyingly slow, like minutes, mind you, you've lost consciousness before actual death, but you'd have 10's of seconds to contemplate your demise (and test how loud your clap is).

Before morals were invented (pre 1967?) NASA did some tests on chimps' survival in near vacuum, and they were able to revive them after up to 3.5min of exposure.

"For example, in 1965 a technician inside a vacuum chamber at Johnson Space Center in Houston accidentally depressurized his space suit by disrupting a hose. After 12 to 15 seconds he lost consciousness. He regained it at 27 seconds, after his suit was repressurized to about half that of sea level. The man reported that his last memory before blacking out was of the moisture on his tongue beginning to boil as well as a loss of taste sensation that lingered for four days following the accident, but he was otherwise unharmed."

 

[prakhargupta3301]

Its not even that quick in the general scheme of things... Its actually horrifyingly slow, like minutes, mind you, you've lost consciousness before actual death, but you'd have 10's of seconds to contemplate your demise (and test how loud your clap is).

Before morals were invented (pre 1967?) NASA did some tests on chimps' survival in near vacuum, and they were able to revive them after up to 3.5min of exposure.

"He regained it at 27 seconds, after his suit was repressurized to about half that of sea level. The man reported that his last memory before blacking out was of the moisture on his tongue beginning to boil as well as a loss of taste sensation that lingered for four days following the accident, but he was otherwise unharmed."

I totally agree with this horrifying information. It's just like at low pressures water boils quickly. *sigh*

 

[nitsuj]

You mean before you explode from being in a vacuum. You can't clap in a vacuum because you would not be alive.

Thanks
Bill

For who the marshmallow man? I suspect space would take your breath away, and make you burp and fart at the same time :)

Oh and really hurt the ears; perhaps a little too quiet lol

 

[bhobba]

For who the marshmallow man? I suspect space would take your breath away, and make you burp and fart at the same time :) Oh and really hurt the ears; perhaps a little too quiet lol

That you explode from the pressure difference is an old wife's tale that has been corrected by others. The point is you die - maybe you can get a few claps off before that - maybe.

Thanks
Bill

 

[nitsuj]

That you explode from the pressure difference is an old wife's tale that has been corrected by others. The point is you die - maybe you can get a few claps off before that - maybe.

Thanks
Bill

You're right, sorry for using the misunderstanding as a segway for an attempt at lame comedy. But at least I didn't insult old wives everywhere...or perhaps I'm misunderstanding the semantics ;)