[meteorite-list] Zero G oil and water OT...but still space related!

From: Chris Monrad <cmonrad_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Nov 11 17:18:05 2006
Message-ID: <NKENIMKCDFNINACMKEODAECHDGAA.cmonrad_at_earthlink.net>

http://history.nasa.gov/SP-401/ch12.htm

Immiscible Liquids

Two liquids that will not mix, such as oil and water, are said to be
immiscible. When vigorously shaken, the two liquids can become intermingled,
but one does not dissolve in the other. Eventually, the force of gravity
will cause the heavier liquid to separate from the lighter, producing two
distinct layers. Experiments were made in Skylab to determine what happens
when immiscible liquids are mixed in zero gravity.

Oil and water were placed in transparent plastic vials. By swinging the
vials on the end of a string, the two liquids were separated by centrifugal
force. The vials were then shaken to disperse the liquids and observed to
see whether separation took place. While a gravity force was not present to
separate the liquids, some separation by coalescence was possible. Small
drops of the same liquid joined as they came into contact, eventually into
significant amounts.

On Earth, a dispersion of the two liquids separated completely in 10
seconds. In Skylab, the dispersions were observed for a period of 10 hours,
during which time only a very small amount of coalescence occurred. Low
gravity thus provided an opportunity to form a dispersion of immiscible
liquids which could be solidified in that form. The demonstration showed
that composite materials with unique properties could be manufactured by
such a process.



Regards,

Chris Monrad



-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com]On Behalf Of Dave
Harris
Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2006 3:05 PM
To: metlist
Subject: [meteorite-list] Slightly OT...but sttill space related!


Hullo,
Well, I am a bit stumped by a question I was asked by one of my sons...and I
couldn't answer it for certain - I've asked one chap, a good mate of mine,
who has an astrophysics masters degree, and he proposed an answer to my
query but I am not sure he's right...

SO, we all know that oil and water don't mix - the oil will float on the
water. What about in zero-g?
Would they mix? (think how easy it'd be to make mayo!) or would they still
separate out if shaken together?

It obviously has a relationship between certain meteorite classes (ie mesos)
ie, whether molten silicates would float on molten iron...
but I just cannot visualise whether oil on water would still float.

Seems a really silly question now I;ve written it down - but nope, just
cannot figure what an oil/water mix would do.

Any ideas (Bernd.....??)

Dumbly....

dave
IMCA #0092
Sec.BIMS
www.bimsociety.com


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Received on Sat 11 Nov 2006 05:18:00 PM PST