New Delhi, June 6 (IANS). The world of space is full of adventures as well as mysteries. Everything that seems normal on Earth is difficult there. In such a situation, the science behind why the behavior of water changes in space, scientific experiments and the effect of microgravity has been explained in an easy way by Astronaut and Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla.
He told that doing science related experiments while living in space has been one of the most interesting experiences for him. Many common things that we see every day on Earth also behave differently.
Shubhanshu Shukla said that the biggest difference between Earth and space is gravity. Fluids on Earth always remain downwards, but in space their behavior changes completely due to microgravity. This is why scientists conduct special studies on fluids in space.
Giving an example, he said that in a fuel tank on Earth, fuel is stored at the bottom, but this does not happen in space. There the fuel does not remain fixed in its place and can reach any part of the tank with the effect of a slight push or movement. In such a situation, when the spacecraft engine has to be restarted, it is very important for the fuel to be at the right place. For this reason, designing fuel tanks for spacecraft is considered a big challenge.
Shubhanshu also demonstrated the behavior of water through a video. He told that in microgravity, instead of falling down, water takes the form of a spherical bubble floating in the air. On Earth, gravity pulls water down, but in space this effect is almost absent, so water appears like a stable sphere.
During the experiment, he showed this water bubble rotating slowly and told that scientists try to know what effect rotating forces have on liquids. Such studies help in better understanding fluid dynamics in space.
He explained that understanding the behavior of fluids in space is extremely important for future long space missions. This can make fuel storage, fluid management and other critical systems safer and more efficient.
–IANS
mt/pm