Re: water drops

[David Bowman <David_Bowman@GEORGETOWNCOLLEGE.EDU>]

Regarding Larry's question:

> This might be a very simple question: Does water dropping from an orifice
> make drops six times more massive on the moon than it would on the earth?

Since the triple point pressure of water (6.11 mb) is very much greater
than the atmospheric pressure at the lunar surface we see that liquid
water cannot exist in any equilibrium way on the moon if it is exposed
to the elements.  If the orifice was in a well shaded from any ambient
sunlight, or if the orifice was leaking on the night side of the moon,
the moisture would freeze up the orifice.  OTOH, if the orifice was
exposed to direct sunlight the leaking moisture would leak via very
vigorous evaporation.

But if the orifice was located indoors in some sort of pressurized
climate-controlled lunar building, then it could be made to leak by
making liquid drops.  My suspicion as to the resulting drop masses is
similar to that of Leigh and Larry.


David Bowman
David_Bowman@georgetowncollege.edu