Have you ever wondered about the state of water in space? Do you think it will be in a boiling state or freezing state? Does the snow you see in aerospace photographs ever instill the notion in you that water remains at freezing state in outer space?

In this article, we will take you on a journey on how water transitions from its ideal liquid state on earth to different states as it moves to space.

To help us understand whether water will boil or freeze in outer space, let's start from the basics: understanding why water maintains its liquid state right here on earth.

Why Does Water Maintain Its Liquid State On Earth?

The reason is not so far fetched. The temperature and pressure are very favourable for water to exist as a liquid on earth.

However on the flipside, that isn't the case with water in outer space and it is for the same two reasons: temperature and pressure.

If there is anything we have come to know about the space, it is that it is cold, very cold. This is not so farfetched because of the far distance between space and the sun (most especially places that aren't within close proximity to the sun)

So ideally, using that basic knowledge we have about space being cold, it is only ideal to expect that when you take water to space, they have a higher propensity to freeze. Why? Because low temperature.

What if I tell you that is not totally correct? Shocking, I know.

When you assume water in space will automatically be at a freezing state because of the low temperature there, you have totally ignored the effect of pressure and how it could turn things around.

To help you understand this, let's also go back to elementary science. On earth, the standard atmospheric pressure is 6 × 10^22 hydrogen atoms. This is not the case when compared to the standard atmospheric pressure in space. It is known that the standard atmospheric pressure in space is estimated to be a million times below the value recorded on earth.

So generally, with what we have garnered so far, the temperature and pressure in space are way lower than what is noted on earth.

How Does The Low Pressure Affect The State Of Water In Space?

Basic science tells us that at lower pressure, regardless of the temperature, water actually boils. So when you take water to space where the temperature is low and the pressure is a million times lower than what is attained on earth, it is hypothetically expected to boil.

A system that has helped us understand this phenomenon better is the condition of water when placed in a vacuum chamber. When you put water in a vacuum chamber and you evacuate the air in it, what happens is that the pressure drops, thereby causing the water in the vacuum to boil. On the other hand, for that same "water in a vacuum experiment, " when you decrease the temperature and maintain the pressure, the water will freeze.

You would notice a consistency in the pattern the experiment follows, one factor is adjusted while the other is maintained. However, in a real sense, when you take water from the earth to space, you have automatically subjected the water simultaneously to change in both the temperature and the pressure.

That then begs the question, what happens to water when both factors are altered at the same time? The answer to this question will demystify the state of water in outer space.

Does Water Freeze Or Boil In Outer Space?

In actuality, water is expected to do both in space. Yes, you read that right. Water should boil and then freeze in space. Going forward, we will make that make sense to you.

According to astronauts that have spent some time in space, they say that whenever they pee in space, the urine boils rigorously and turns to vapour but in that same vein, the vapour through the process of desublimation, crystallizes to frozen crystals of urine. In a basic sense how that plays out is that the release of water will cause it to boil, because of the significant difference in pressure, however, the cold air reacts on the vapour, therefore causing it to form tiny crystals that will look like snow.

However, in space stations, the temperature of the water can be maintained at Earth-like standard, causing no fluctuation whatsoever in the state. But when the astronaut moves out of that station where it is controlled to space, it is a different ball game entirely where the water will both boil and freeze.

Conclusion

So, however confusing that may seem, does that make sense to you now? In summary what happens to water in space is that it will alternate between all three states, which is from liquid to vapour and from vapour to solid state

By J.P. Goodhometime.com