Science Memes

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149

Moon dust (mander.xyz)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Isn't moon dust just sand?

[–] [email protected] 86 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It's sand that has never been exposed to water or oxygen. This leaves various reactive chemicals on the surface that would normally be broken down. The lack of water also means the particles haven't been smoothed off as much. They are sharp and spiky.

The combination of these effects makes the dust quite unique, compared to earth dust.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It also reportedly smells like gunpowder.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Burned or unburned? They are two distinct smells.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago

Burned, according to the astronauts. I don’t know if the exact mechanism has been published anywhere, but since spent gunpowder has been oxidized I imagine that’s what’s going on with the dust as well.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 6 months ago (2 children)

50% SiO2, 15% Al2O3, 10% CaO, 10% MgO, 5% TiO2 and 5-15% iron

[–] [email protected] 46 points 6 months ago

And 100% reason to remember the name.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 months ago

All those oxides but the iron is pure? SUS.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Sand, but sharp due to a lack of water erosion, and formed mostly from asteroid impacts and thermal cycling. So it's more like glass dust. It's possible it has similar effects on lungs as asbestos, but we don't know for sure.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Ah got it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Jack Schmidt = Anakin confirmed.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

More like Jack Schmidt = Cave Johnson