Re: question about matter in space and music in space

From: Ian Stirling (root_at_mauve.demon.co.uk)
Date: 01/22/05 

Date: 22 Jan 2005 23:58:11 GMT

Uncle Al <UncleAl0@hate.spam.net> wrote:
> Jana Cole wrote:
>>
>> I'm not a scientist. I have some "laymen's" questions:
>>
>> 1. What would happen if a dollar bill were instantly dropped into
>> outer space? Would it "stick together".
<snip>
> Explosively decompressing a human being would not have much immediate
> effect either, other than some biological trivia, a belch and a fart.

Well, unless they hold their breath.
The lungs cannot take 14PSI, and explode.
You rapidly pass out (maybe 10 seconds of conciousness) and will recover
if placed in atmosphere in under 60 seconds.
(it's less than holding your breath, as the oxygen all leaves the blood
as it goes through the lungs)

Nothing really happens otherwise, as the lack of oxygen kills you so much
faster than anything else could.

There is actual data - people have survived actual exposure to vacuum.

Also the much more common, and (at least from the oxygenation POV) similar
industrial accident is walking into atmospheres that do not contain
oxygen or CO2.

You don't get any urge to breath, and fall over.

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