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Goldilocks (files.catbox.moe)
submitted 9 months ago by to c/curatedtumblr@sh.itjust.works
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reallyreallyreallytrying on Tumblr "everyone knows that space is very cold, and the sun is very very hot. so i assume there's a bit of space kind of near the sun which is just right. balmy space". porcupine-girl replies "Yes, that's. That's where we are."
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[–] 16 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Temperature is the average speed of atoms, in space, what atoms?

Space isn't cold. It just isn't any temperature

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  • [–] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

    Right, so getting to that whole "temperature is a measure of average speed of atoms," what's the average speed of atoms in 100 degrees Celsius boiling water vs 100 degree celsius steam? Or for that matter any solid at any given temperature compared to any gas of the same temperature? See what I mean when I said not intuitive?

    Also, even in a vacuum a thermometer will eventually settle on a temperature it'll just take longer to equalise.

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  • [–] -1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 child)

    Atoms move in a solid, they just vibrate, in a liquid and glass they fly around. Somewhat bonded to each other in a liquid. But the speed is the same for any given temperature.

    In vacuum I think a thermometer will just go to absolute zero/boil off.

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago

    That is just not true mate. A better working definition for temperature is the average kinetic energy of molecules not average speed of them. Smaller molecules such as hydrogen will move much faster than larger ones such as water at any given temperature. KE = 1/2mv^2

    And no a thermometer in a vacuum will settle to the ambient temperature of it's environment. Nothing will settle to absolute zero. Either an object is in a true vacuum (theoretical doesn't actually exist) in which case it will remain its current temperature forever or for objects in the vacuum of space it will equalise with the temperature of it's surrounding environment.

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