How to measure body mass in space. Star mass

Our Sun has a mass of 1.99 × 10 27 tons - 330 thousand times heavier than the Earth. But this is far from the limit. The heaviest star discovered, R136a1, weighs as much as 256 Suns. A, the star closest to us, barely exceeded a tenth of the height of our star. The mass of a star can vary astonishingly - but is there a limit to it? And why is it so important to astronomers?

Mass is one of the most important and unusual characteristics of a star. From it, astronomers can accurately determine the age of the star and its future fate. Moreover, the massiveness determines the strength of the gravitational compression of the star - the main condition for the star’s core to “ignite” in a thermonuclear reaction and the beginning. Therefore, mass is a passing criterion for the category of stars. Objects that are too light, like , will not be able to really shine - and too heavy ones go into the category of extreme objects of the type.

And at the same time, scientists can barely calculate the mass of the star - the only star whose mass is known exactly is ours. Our Earth helped bring such clarity. Knowing the mass of the planet and its speed, you can calculate the mass of the star itself based on Kepler’s Third Law, modified famous physicist Isaac Newton. Johannes Kepler discovered the connection between the distance from a planet to a star and speed full turn planets around the star, and Newton supplemented his formula with the masses of the star and the planet. A modified version of Kepler's Third Law is often used by astronomers - not only to determine the mass of stars, but also of other space objects, components together .

For now we can only guess about distant luminaries. The most advanced (in terms of accuracy) is the method for determining mass star systems. Its error is “only” 20–60%. This inaccuracy is critical for astronomy - if the Sun were 40% lighter or heavier, life on Earth would not have arisen.

In the case of measuring the mass of single stars, near which there are no visible objects whose orbit can be used for calculations, astronomers make a compromise. Today it is read that the mass of one star is the same. Scientists are also helped by the connection between mass and luminosity of a star, since both of these characteristics depend on the strength nuclear reactions and the size of the star - direct indicators of mass.

Star mass value

The secret to the massiveness of stars lies not in quality, but in quantity. Our Sun, like most stars, is 98% composed of the two lightest elements in nature - hydrogen and helium. But at the same time, it contains 98% of the entire mass!

How can such light substances come together into huge burning balls? To do this, you need space free from large cosmic bodies, a lot of material and an initial push - so that the first kilograms of helium and hydrogen begin to attract each other. In molecular clouds, where stars are born, nothing prevents hydrogen and helium from accumulating. There are so many of them that gravity begins to forcefully push together the nuclei of hydrogen atoms. This starts a thermonuclear reaction that turns hydrogen into helium.

It is logical that the greater the mass of a star, the greater its luminosity. Indeed, in a massive star there is much more hydrogen “fuel” for a thermonuclear reaction, and gravitational compression, activating the process - stronger. The proof is in the most massive star, R136a1, mentioned at the beginning of the article - being 256 times heavier, it shines 8.7 million times brighter than our star!

But massiveness also has back side: due to the intensity of the processes, hydrogen “burns” faster in thermonuclear reactions inside . Therefore, massive stars do not live very long. cosmic scale- several hundred, or even tens of millions of years.

  • Interesting fact: when the mass of a star is 30 times the mass of the Sun, it can live no more than 3 million years - regardless of how much more its mass is 30 times the Sun. This is due to the Eddington radiation limit being exceeded. The energy of the transcendental star becomes so powerful that it tears out the substance of the star in streams - and with what more massive star, the greater the mass loss becomes.

Above we looked at the main physical processes, related to the mass of the star. Now let’s try to figure out which stars can be “made” with their help.

The scale will show a more accurate weight if you stand still on the scale. When bending or squatting, the scale will show a decrease in weight. At the end of the bend or squat, the scale will show an increase in weight.

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Why a body suspended by a thread. swings until its center of gravity is located directly below the point of suspension?

If the center of gravity is not under the suspension point, then gravity creates a torque; if the center of gravity is under the suspension point, then the torque of gravity equal to zero.

Because the balls are identical, then the ball moving before the impact will stop, and the ball at rest before the impact will acquire its speed.

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Warm air rises. Why is it warmer in the lower layers of the troposphere?
Rising up atmospheric air expands and cools.
Why is the shadow of the feet on the ground less blurry than the shadow of the head?

This is explained by the fact that the shadows formed by different parts of an extended light source overlap each other, and the boundaries of these shadows do not coincide. The distances between the boundaries of shadows from different parts of the source will be smallest if the distance from the object to the surface on which the shadow is formed is relatively small.

In the water flowing from water tap, part of the dissolved air is released in the form of a huge number of small bubbles. At the boundaries of these bubbles, the light undergoes numerous reflections, which is why the water takes on a milky white light.

Such an engine will work, but its efficiency will be low, since most of the work done will go towards compressing the gas.

In nails, as a result of their magnetization, the poles of the same name are located nearby. The poles of the same name repel. At the points of suspension, friction prevents repulsion, and below, the ends of the nails, hanging freely, diverge, experiencing repulsive forces.

Why is the glass in ancient buildings that has survived to this day thicker at the bottom?
Glass is amorphous body. The atoms in it, like in a liquid, are not ordered and can move. Therefore, vertical glass flows slowly, and after a few centuries you can notice that the lower part of the glass becomes thicker.
What is the energy consumed by the refrigerator used for?

The electricity consumed by the refrigerator is used to heat the room.

Drop weight hot water, held by forces surface tension, it will be less. The surface tension coefficient of water decreases with increasing temperature.

You can use ice to make fire on a sunny day if you make a biconvex lens from ice. A biconvex lens has the property of collecting light falling on it. Sun rays to one point (in focus), thereby you can get at this point high temperature and ignite flammable material.

Why does the setting sun appear red to us?
A light wave travels a longer distance in the atmosphere from the setting sun than from the sun at its zenith. Light passing through the atmosphere is scattered by the air and the particles in it. Scattering occurs mainly of short-wave radiation.
A person can run faster than his shadow if the shadow is formed on a wall parallel to which the person is running and the light source is moving faster than a human in the same direction as m and man.
In which of the cases does the rope stretch more strongly - if a person pulls its ends with his hands in different directions, or if he pulls with both hands on one end, tying the other to the wall? Assume that in both cases each hand acts on the rope with the same force.

In the second case, the rope stretches more. If we assume that each hand acts on the rope with a force equal in magnitude to F, then in the first case the rope experiences a force F, and in the second case - 2F.

During a full moon, large dark spots on the Moon are visible at the top of its disk. Why are these spots located at the bottom on maps of the Moon?
The image of the Moon on the maps corresponds to its image obtained using a telescope.
How will the period of oscillation of a bucket of water suspended on a long cord change if water gradually flows out of a hole in its bottom?
For this system, a good approximation is the model mathematical pendulum, the period of oscillations of which depends on its length.

If the bucket is initially filled entirely, then when the water flows out, the oscillation period will initially increase. This is explained by the fact that the center of gravity of the “bucket-water” system will decrease, and as a result, the length of the pendulum will increase. Then the period will decrease due to an increase in the center of gravity of the bucket-water system. When all the water from the bucket is poured out, the oscillation period will become equal to the original one, because the original length of the pendulum will be restored.

As soon as people first raised their heads and gazed into the night sky, they were literally captivated by the light of the stars. This fascination has led to thousands of years of work on theories and discoveries related to our solar system and the cosmic bodies within it. However, as in any other field, knowledge about space is often based on false conclusions and misinterpretations, which are subsequently taken at face value. Considering that the subject of astronomy was very popular not only among professionals, but also among amateurs, it is easy to understand why from time to time these misconceptions become firmly rooted in the public consciousness.

Many people have probably heard the album " The Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd, and the idea that the Moon has a dark side has become very popular among society. But the thing is that the Moon doesn’t have any dark side. This expression is one of the most common misconceptions. And its reason is connected with the way the Moon revolves around the Earth, and also with the fact that the Moon is always turned to our planet with only one side. However, despite the fact that we see only one side of it, we often witness that some parts of it become lighter, while others are covered in darkness. Given this, it was logical to assume that the same rule would be true for the other side.

More correct definition would be "the far side of the moon." And even if we don't see it, it doesn't always remain dark. The thing is that the source of the Moon’s glow in the sky is not the Earth, but the Sun. Even if we cannot see the other side of the Moon, it is also illuminated by the Sun. This happens cyclically, just like on Earth. True, this cycle lasts a little longer. A full lunar day is equivalent to about two Earth weeks. Two interesting facts in pursuit. During lunar space programs There has never been a landing on the side of the Moon that always faces away from the Earth. Manned space missions have never been carried out during the night lunar cycle.

The influence of the Moon on the ebb and flow of tides

One of the most common misconceptions relates to how tidal forces work. Most people understand that these forces depend on the Moon. And it is true. However, many people still mistakenly believe that only the Moon is responsible for these processes. Speaking in simple language, tidal forces can be controlled gravitational forces any nearby cosmic body of sufficient size. And although the moon does have large mass and located close to us, it is not the only source of this phenomenon. By tidal forces certain impact The Sun also does. At the same time, the joint influence of the Moon and the Sun increases many times over at the moment of alignment (in one line) of these two astronomical objects.

However, the Moon does have an effect more impact on these earthly processes than the Sun. This is because even despite the colossal difference in mass, the Moon is closer to us. If one day the moon is destroyed, the outrage ocean waters won't stop at all. However, the behavior of the tides itself will definitely change significantly.

The Sun and Moon are the only cosmic bodies that can be seen during the day

What astronomical object can we see in the sky during the day? That's right, Sun. Many people have seen the Moon more than once during the day. Most often it is visible either in the early morning or when it is just beginning to get dark. However, most people believe that only these space objects can be seen in the sky during the day. Fearing for their health, people usually do not look at the Sun. But next to it during the day you can find something else.

There is another object in the sky that can be seen in the sky even during the day. This object is Venus. When you look into the night sky and see a clearly visible point of light on it, know that most often you are seeing Venus, and not some star. Phil Plait, Bad Astronomy columnist for the Discover portal, has compiled a small guide, following which you can find both Venus and the Moon in the daytime sky. The author advises to be very careful and try not to look at the Sun.

The space between the planets and stars is empty

When we talk about space, we immediately imagine endless and cold space filled with emptiness. And although we know very well that the process of formation of new astronomical objects continues in the Universe, many of us are sure that the space between these objects is completely empty. Why be surprised if the scientists themselves are very for a long time did they believe in it? However, new research has shown that there is much more interesting in the Universe than can be seen with the naked eye.

Not long ago, astronomers discovered in space dark energy. And it is this, according to many scientists, that makes the Universe continue to expand. Moreover, the rate of this expansion of space is constantly increasing, and, according to researchers, after many billions of years this could lead to a “rupture” of the Universe. Mysterious energy in one volume or another is present almost everywhere - even in the very structure of space. Physicists studying this phenomenon believe that despite the presence of many mysteries that have yet to be solved, interplanetary, interstellar and even intergalactic space itself is not at all as empty as we previously imagined it.

We have a clear understanding of everything that is happening in our solar system

For a long time it was believed that there are nine planets within our solar system. The last planet was Pluto. As you know, Pluto's status as a planet has recently been called into question. The reason for this was that astronomers began to find objects inside the Solar System whose sizes were comparable to the size of Pluto, but these objects are located inside the so-called Asteroid Belt, located immediately behind the former ninth planet. This discovery quickly changed scientists' understanding of what our solar system looks like. More recently, a theoretical study was published scientific work, which suggests that the solar system may contain two more space object size more than Earth and about 15 times its mass.

These theories are based on calculations of numbers different orbits objects within the Solar System, as well as their interactions with each other. However, as indicated in the work, science does not yet have suitable telescopes that would help prove or disprove this opinion. And while such statements may seem like tea leaves for now, it is certainly clear (thanks to many other discoveries) that there is much more interesting in the outer reaches of our solar system than we previously thought. Our space technology are constantly evolving, and we are creating more and more modern telescopes. It is likely that one day they will help us find something previously unnoticed in the backyard of our house.

The temperature of the sun is constantly rising

According to one of the most popular "conspiracy theories", the impact sunlight rises to Earth. However, this is not due to pollution. environment and any global climate changes, but due to the fact that the temperature of the Sun is rising. This statement is partially true. However, this increase depends on what year it is on the calendar.

Since 1843, scientists have continually documented solar cycles. Thanks to this observation, they realized that our Sun is quite predictable. During a certain cycle of its activity, the temperature of the Sun rises to a certain limit. The cycle changes and the temperature begins to decrease. According to NASA scientists, everyone solar cycle lasts about 11 years, and for the last 150 researchers have been following each of them.

While many things about our climate and its relationship to solar activity still remain a mystery to scientists, science has a pretty good idea of ​​when to expect an increase or decrease in solar activity. solar activity. The periods of heating and cooling of the Sun are usually called solar maximum and solar minimum. When the Sun is at its maximum, the entire solar system becomes warmer. However, this process is completely natural and occurs every 11 years.

The solar system's asteroid field is akin to a mine

In the classic scene " Star Wars"Han Solo and his friends on board had to hide from their pursuers inside an asteroid field. At the same time, it was announced that the chances of a successful flight of this field are 3720 to 1. This remark, like the spectacular computer graphics, put aside in people’s minds the opinion that asteroid fields are akin to mines and it is almost impossible to predict the success of their crossing. In fact, this remark is incorrect. If Han Solo had to cross an asteroid field in reality, then, most likely, each change in the flight path would occur no more than once a week (and not once per second, as shown in the film).

Why, you ask? Yes, because space is huge and the distances between objects in it are usually equally also very big. For example, the Asteroid Belt in our solar system very distracted, so real life Han Solo, as well as Darth Vader himself with a whole fleet of star destroyers, would have no difficulty crossing it. The same asteroids that were shown in the film itself are most likely the result of a collision between two giant celestial bodies.

Explosions in space

There are two very popular misconceptions about how the principle of explosions in space works. The first one you could see in many science fiction films. When two spaceships collide, a giant explosion occurs. Moreover, it often turns out to be so powerful that the shock wave from it also destroys other spaceships nearby. According to the second misconception, since there is no oxygen in the vacuum of space, explosions in it are generally impossible as such. The reality actually lies somewhere between these two opinions.

If an explosion occurs inside the ship, then the oxygen inside it will mix with other gases, which in turn will create the necessary chemical reaction for fire to appear. Depending on the concentration of gases, so much fire may actually appear that it will be enough to explode the entire ship. But since there is no pressure in space, the explosion will dissipate within a few milliseconds of hitting vacuum conditions. It will happen so quickly that you won't even have time to blink. Apart from this, there will be no shock wave, which is the most destructive part of the explosion.

Lately, you can often find headlines in the news that astronomers have found another exoplanet that could potentially support life. When people hear about new planet discoveries in this way, they often think about how great it would be to find a way to pack up their things and go to cleaner habitats where nature has not been subjected to technogenic impacts. But before we go to conquer the open spaces deep space, we will have to solve a series of very important issues. For example, until we completely invent new method space travel, the opportunity to reach these exoplanets will be as real as magical rituals by calling demons from another dimension. Even if we find a way to get from point A in space to point B as quickly as possible (using hyperspace warp engines or wormholes, for example), we will still be faced with a number of problems that will need to be solved before departure .

Do you think we know a lot about exoplanets? In fact, we have no idea what it is. The fact is that these exoplanets are so far away that we are not even able to calculate their actual sizes, atmospheric composition and temperature. All knowledge about them is based only on guesswork. All we can do is just guess the distance between the planet and its parent star and, based on this knowledge, deduce the value of its estimated size in relation to the Earth. It is also worth considering that despite the frequent and loud headlines about new exoplanets found, among all the discoveries, only about a hundred are located inside the so-called habitable zone, potentially suitable for supporting Earth-like life. Moreover, even among this list, only a few may actually be suitable for life. And the word “can” is used here for a reason. Scientists also do not have a clear answer on this matter.

Body weight in space is zero

People think that if a person is on a spaceship or space station, then his body is in complete weightlessness (that is, the body weight is zero). However, this is a very common misconception because there is something in space called microgravity. This is a condition in which the acceleration caused by gravity is still in effect, but has been greatly reduced. And at the same time, the force of gravity itself does not change in any way. Even when you are not above the surface of the Earth, the force of gravity (attraction) exerted on you is still very strong. In addition to this, you will be subject to the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon. Therefore, when you are on board a space station, your body will not weigh less. The reason for the state of weightlessness lies in the principle by which this station revolves around the Earth. In simple terms, a person at this moment is in an endless free fall(only it falls along with the station not downwards, but forwards), and the very rotation of the station around the planet supports the soaring. This effect can be repeated even in earth's atmosphere on board an airplane, when the plane gains a certain altitude and then sharply begins to descend. This technique is sometimes used to train astronauts and astronauts.

With increasing duration space flights doctors raised the question of the need to monitor the weight of astronauts.

A transition to another habitat certainly leads to a restructuring of the body, including a redistribution of fluid flows in it.

In weightlessness, the blood flow changes - from the lower extremities, a significant part of it flows to chest and head.

The process of dehydration of the body is stimulated and the person loses weight.

However, the loss of even a fifth of water, which is 60-65%% in humans, is very dangerous for the body.

Therefore, doctors needed a reliable device to constantly monitor the body weight of astronauts during flight and in preparation for returning to Earth.

Conventional “earthly” scales determine not the mass, but the weight of the body - that is, the force of gravity with which it presses on the device.

In zero gravity, such a principle is unacceptable - both a speck of dust and a container with cargo, when different weight, have equal - zero weight.

When creating a weight meter in zero gravity, engineers had to use a different principle.

Operating principle of the mass meter

The body mass meter in zero gravity is built according to the harmonic oscillator circuit.

As is known, the period of free oscillations of a load on a spring depends on its mass. Thus, the oscillator system recalculates the oscillation period of a special platform with an astronaut or some object placed on it to mass.

The body whose mass is to be measured is fixed on a spring in such a way that it can perform free vibrations along the axis of the spring.

Period T (\displaystyle T) these fluctuations are associated with body weight M (\displaystyle M) ratio:

T = 2 π M K (\displaystyle T=2\pi (\sqrt (\frac (M)(K))))

where K is the spring elasticity coefficient.

Thus, knowing K (\displaystyle K) and measuring T (\displaystyle T), can be found M (\displaystyle M).

From the formula it is clear that the period of oscillation does not depend on either the amplitude or the acceleration of gravity.

Device

The “chair”-looking device consists of four parts: platforms for placing the astronaut (upper part), a base that is attached to the “floor” of the station (lower part), a rack and a mechanical middle part, as well as an electronic reading unit.

Device size: 79.8 x 72 x 31.8 cm. Material: aluminum, rubber, organic glass. The weight of the device is about 11 kilograms.

Top part device on which the astronaut lies with his chest consists of three parts. A rectangular sheet of plexiglass is attached to the upper platform. A chin rest for the astronaut extends from the end of the platform on a metal rod.

Bottom part The device is a horseshoe-shaped base to which the mechanical part of the device and the reading measurement unit are attached.

The mechanical part consists of a vertical cylindrical strut along which a second cylinder moves externally on bearings. On the outside of the movable cylinder there are two flywheels with stoppers to fix the movable system in the middle position.

A shaped platform for the cosmonaut’s body, which determines its mass, is attached to the top end of the movable cylinder using two tubular brackets.

Attached to the lower half of the movable cylinder are two handles with triggers at the ends, with the help of which the stoppers of the movable system are recessed into the handles.

At the bottom of the outer cylinder there is a footrest for the astronaut, which has two rubber caps.

A metal rod moves inside the cylindrical rack, embedded at one end in the upper platform; At the opposite end of the rod there is a plate, on both sides of which two springs are attached, which establish the moving system of the device in the middle position when in conditions of weightlessness. A magnetoelectric sensor is fixed at the bottom of the rack, which records the oscillation period of the moving system.

The sensor automatically takes into account the duration of the oscillation period with an accuracy of a thousandth of a second.

As shown above, the vibration frequency of the “chair” depends on the mass of the load. Thus, the astronaut just needs to swing a little on such a swing, and after a while the electronics will calculate and display the measurement result.

To measure an astronaut's body weight, 30 seconds are enough.

Subsequently, it turned out that the “cosmic scales” are much more accurate than the medical ones used in everyday life.

This is the first time I have to weigh myself in space. It is clear that ordinary scales cannot work here, since there is no weight. Our scales, unlike those on earth, are unusual; they work on a different principle and are an oscillating platform on springs.

Before weighing, I lower the platform, squeezing the springs, to the clamps, lie down on it, pressing tightly to the surface, and fix myself, grouping my body so that it does not dangle, wrapping my legs and arms around the profile support of the platform. I press the shutter. A slight push and I feel vibrations. Their frequency is displayed on the indicator in a digital code. I read its value, subtract the code for the vibration frequency of the platform, measured without a person, and use the table to determine my weight. It turned out to be 74 kg.

Story

A device for measuring the body weight of an astronaut was created no later than 1976 at the Leningrad special design and technology bureau "Biofizpribor" (SKTB "Biofizpribor")

Quiz questions. How does an hourglass behave in zero gravity? Hourglasś - page No. 1/1

13f1223 “Axiumniks”


Quiz questions.

1.How do hourglasses behave in zero gravity?

Hourglass- the simplest device for measuring time intervals, consisting of two vessels connected by a narrow neck, one of which is partially filled with sand. The time it takes for the sand to be poured through the neck into another vessel can range from several seconds to several hours.

Hourglasses have been known since ancient times. In Europe they became widespread in the Middle Ages. One of the first mentions of such a clock is a message discovered in Paris, which contains instructions for preparing fine sand from black marble powder, boiled in wine and dried in the sun. On ships, a four-hour hourglass was used (the time of one watch) and a 30-second one to determine the speed of the ship by the log.

Currently, hourglasses are used only in some medical procedures, in photography, and also as souvenirs.

The accuracy of the hourglass depends on the quality of the sand. The flasks were filled with annealed fine-grained sand, sifted through a fine sieve and thoroughly dried. Ground zinc and lead dust were also used as starting materials.


The accuracy of the stroke also depends on the shape of the flasks, the quality of their surface, uniform grain size and flowability of the sand. At long-term use Hourglass accuracy deteriorates due to sand damage inner surface flasks, increasing the diameter of the hole in the diaphragm between the flasks and crushing the sand grains into smaller ones.

In zero gravity, an hourglass, like a clock with a pendulum, will not work. Why? Because they will depend on gravity, the pendulum will not swing, grains of sand will not fall, since there is no gravity in space.

2. How to measure the mass of a body in space?

So we know that Mass is fundamental physical quantity, which determines inertial and gravitational physical properties bodies. From the point of view of the theory of relativity, the mass of a body m characterizes its rest energy, which, according to Einstein’s relation: , where is the speed of light.

In Newton's theory of gravity, mass is the source of force. universal gravity, attracting all bodies to each other. The force with which a body of mass attracts a body of mass is determined by Newton's law of gravity:

or to be more precise. , where is a vector

The inertial properties of mass in non-relativistic (Newtonian) mechanics are determined by the relation. From the above, it is possible to obtain at least three ways to determine body mass in zero gravity.


Yes, if you happen to be in zero gravity, then remember that the absence of weight does not mean the absence of mass, and in the event of an impact on the side of your spaceship bruises and bumps will be real :).


In space it is not only difficult, but almost impossible to use an ordinary hammer. This happens because we have different conditions on earth and in space. gravitational conditions. For example: there is a vacuum in space, there is no weight in space, that is, everyone is the same, it doesn’t matter whether you are a button or a space station.

In space there is no concept of up and down because... There is no landmark in relation to which one could say that where it is up and opposite is down, naturally one can take a planet as this landmark, for example the sun, but this is not officially accepted, they believe that there is no up and down.

The design of the hammer on the ground is made on the principle of obtaining greater kinetic energy, that is, the greater the swing speed and the mass of the hammer itself, the stronger the blow.

On the ground, we work with a hammer using a fulcrum - the floor, the floor rests on the ground, and the ground is the bottom, everything is pulled down. In space there is no fulcrum, there is no bottom, and everyone has zero weight, when the astronaut hits with a hammer, it will look like a collision of two bodies that have kinetic energy, the astronaut will simply begin to twist from side to side, otherwise, why he hit, he will fly to the side, because they themselves are not “attached” to anything. Therefore, you need to work with a hammer in relation to something, for example, you can fix the hammer on the body of what you need to hit, so that the hammer is not on its own, but has a fulcrum.


For work in space, Soviet specialists invented a special hammer. Moreover, this hammer went on sale in 1977. You can recognize it by its comfortable handle. In order to finally make sure that the hammer is “cosmic”, you need to hit the surface. Unlike regular hammers, it does not bounce back after impact. Its striking part is hollow, and metal balls are poured into the cavity. At the moment of impact, the lower balls rush upward, and the upper ones continue to move downward. The friction between them dissipates the recoil energy. You can use the principle of a press, which works great in zero gravity, because force is used there, the press works relative to the frame on which the cylinders are attached. The frame itself must be secured to the body of the object that needs to be hit. Here's what happens: a "hammer", which acts like a press, is attached to the body of the spacecraft. If you use such a hammer, you can hammer or, more precisely, crush any nail or rivet.

  1. What is the difference between the freezing process of water on Earth and in space orbit?
Look at the phase diagram of water. The boiling point of liquids depends on external pressure. At room temperature water boils if the pressure is reduced to about 0.07 atm. That is, if the water temperature is room temperature, then at 0.07 atm the water begins to boil. At the same time, water molecules from the very high energy. Due to this, the water temperature decreases. If the pressure is kept constant, the water will eventually cool to a temperature where it stops boiling.

However, if the pressure is below 610 Pa (the triple point pressure of water), then the water cannot be in liquid state- either ice or steam. Therefore, at very low pressures Most of the water evaporates and the remainder turns into ice. For example (see phase diagram) at a pressure of 100 Pa, the interface between ice and steam occurs at approximately 250 K. Here you need to look at the law of the distribution of molecules by speed. Let's assume from the flashlight that the 5% slowest molecules of water have average temperature 250K. This means that at a pressure of 100 Pa, 95% of the water will evaporate, and 5% will turn into ice, and the temperature of this ice will be 250 K.

These arguments, of course, do not take into account any subtleties such as hidden energy phase transitions, redistribution of molecules by speed during cooling, however, I think that qualitatively they correctly describe the process.

In space, the pressure is significantly lower, but not zero. And the interface between ice and steam is phase diagram when the pressure decreases, it goes to the point (T = 0; P = 0). That is, at any arbitrarily low (but non-zero) pressure, the temperature of ice sublimation is non-zero. This means that the vast majority of the water will evaporate, but some microscopic part of it will turn into ice.

There is one more nuance here. Space is permeated with radiation with a temperature of approximately 3 K. This means that water (ice) cannot cool below 3 K. Therefore, the outcome of the process depends on the sublimation pressure of ice at a temperature of 3 K. Since the sublimation boundary tends to zero according to a very steep exponential

P = A exp(-k/T), with A about 10^11 Pa, and k about 5200,

then the sublimation pressure at 3 K is exponentially small, so all the water should evaporate (or all the ice should sublimate, if you want).