Science Fiction may have to wait a little while I explore the science bit.
What happens to open flames in space?
Apparently the whole idea of the 'space pen' was necessitated as using pencils caused graphite particles to be let loose into the environment, causing potential for short circuits and fires in the space craft. This is if you believe what you read on the internet.
Also on the internet (https://www.quora.com/Why-do-you-not-use-pencil-in-space, posted 27.8.2018), by Robert Frost, Instructor and Flight Controller in the Flight Operations Directorate at NASA, is a photograph of Leland Melvin using a mechanical pencil, in space.
Robert goes on to say, "Astronauts use pencils onboard the International Space Station, every day. They use pencils, they use all kinds of pens, they use markers, they use grease pencils."
Perhaps the air filtration is better than it used to be, perhaps someone came up with a plausible, yet incorrect surmise and published it anyway. Regardless of whether pencils cause fires or not, open flames in a space ship are probably a bad thing.
The website, space.com explains how the gravity on earth affects the physics of how a fire burns, and the differences in a fire in a low gravity environment differs. This is not merely conjecture, but based on experiments done in the International Space Station since 2009 (https://www.space.com/13766-international-space-station-flex-fire-research.html)
Two notable difference are the shape of the flame, and the difficulties in extinguishing the flames.
The flame is dome or spherical, and burns a lot slower and often cooler. Blowing out the flame simply adds more oxygen so the flame keeps burning.
This means that blowing out the candles on your birthday cake could be both difficult and dangerous. Do people living in space have to forgo this human ritual or is there a solution?
Fear not future space-kids, I'll do my best to make a solution for you.
What happens to open flames in space?
Apparently the whole idea of the 'space pen' was necessitated as using pencils caused graphite particles to be let loose into the environment, causing potential for short circuits and fires in the space craft. This is if you believe what you read on the internet.
Also on the internet (https://www.quora.com/Why-do-you-not-use-pencil-in-space, posted 27.8.2018), by Robert Frost, Instructor and Flight Controller in the Flight Operations Directorate at NASA, is a photograph of Leland Melvin using a mechanical pencil, in space.
Robert goes on to say, "Astronauts use pencils onboard the International Space Station, every day. They use pencils, they use all kinds of pens, they use markers, they use grease pencils."
| Image Source: https://www.quora.com/Why-do-you-not-use-pencil-in-space |
Perhaps the air filtration is better than it used to be, perhaps someone came up with a plausible, yet incorrect surmise and published it anyway. Regardless of whether pencils cause fires or not, open flames in a space ship are probably a bad thing.
The website, space.com explains how the gravity on earth affects the physics of how a fire burns, and the differences in a fire in a low gravity environment differs. This is not merely conjecture, but based on experiments done in the International Space Station since 2009 (https://www.space.com/13766-international-space-station-flex-fire-research.html)
Two notable difference are the shape of the flame, and the difficulties in extinguishing the flames.
The flame is dome or spherical, and burns a lot slower and often cooler. Blowing out the flame simply adds more oxygen so the flame keeps burning.
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| IMAGE: Fuel Droplet burning in space. © NASA/GRC Source: https://www.space.com/13766-international-space-station-flex-fire-research.html |
Fear not future space-kids, I'll do my best to make a solution for you.
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