ballpoint pen
2006-09-12 08:40:33 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
the gravity cannot 'pull' the ink down.
The Americans spent millions on a new pen that would work in space, the Russians used a pencil :o)
2006-09-12 08:44:11 · answer #1 · answered by Raych C 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure when or where I heard this, but apparently NASA invested millions of dollars developing a pen to work in space and then found that an ordinary ballpoint pen actually works in space. Besides why not just use a pencil?
2006-09-12 08:52:25 · answer #2 · answered by sarkyastic31 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ink needs gravity to get it to the tip so it can be put on the paper, but in space there is no gravity hence the ink is just floating around inside of the ink tube thing. To make a pen work in space there has to be something pushing the ink down to the tip. This is what the "space pen" does, it has a little spring that pushes the ink down.
2006-09-12 08:48:17 · answer #3 · answered by Poopdragon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a myth ballpoint pens don't work in space but NASA did spend lots of money developing a pen that would write under water.It was a prized possession in the early 70s for every schoolboy, in the end they decided to take pencils.
2006-09-12 08:59:14 · answer #4 · answered by manthintall 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A ball point pen WILL work in space. the US goverment wasted millions developing their pressurised "space-pen" because they didn't realise this, the USSR just used pencils. The reason a ball point pen wont write vertically (against a wall) or upside down is because of gravity pulling the ink away from the nib of the pen. in space there is no gravity to do this.
Vampire
2006-09-12 09:00:20 · answer #5 · answered by the_angel_and_the_vampire 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A pen does not work in space because the pen needs gravity to push the ink down the cartrage and out the nib. There is no gravity in space.
2006-09-12 10:21:39 · answer #6 · answered by serpaige 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will also find that a ball point pen will not work if you try to write on the piece of paper that is on the wall or up on the bottom of an upper bunk bed. I know I tried. That is because the ball point needs gravity to make the ink flow down to the ball. In the absence of gravity, the condition that would exist in space, the ball point would not work.
2006-09-12 08:48:54 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the so called space pen actualy uses compressed air to force the ink down, though a spring would probably work too.
2006-09-12 08:57:59 · answer #8 · answered by abcdefghijk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its due to gravity a pen needs gravity to push the ink down to the nib no gravity no ink.
2006-09-12 08:43:58 · answer #9 · answered by political_vampire 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When ball runs over the paper it takes ink from the tube and leaves a slight vacume so some ink runs down under air pressure to replace in. In space no air pressure
2006-09-12 08:44:10 · answer #10 · answered by Maid Angela 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋