I was thinking in terms of a space ship, couldn't liquid nitrogen be used as some form of fuel in use in a space ship? I wonder what kind of exhaust it would have. I figure, if it has a lot, it wouldn't be good, but if there is very little it may be great. Not sure. Would anybody know?
2006-11-30 21:29:59 · 5 answers · asked by HeyNowBrownCow 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
First of all, even though Nitrogen does bind with oxygen, Nitrogen is relatively inert and does not burn wiht oxygen. Secondly, Nitrogen is part of molecular structure of rocket propellent, not fuel. Rocekts move by propelling massive amount gas, know as propellent, to move forward and check trajectory. It takes tremendous amount of propellent to escape earth's orbit, as evident in shuttle launch.
However, it is not practical to carry more propellent to travel the ship is in space. If the ship use propellent as the drive for moving in space, there will never be enough propellent to move the ship around for great distances. Also additional propellent will compound the problems of getting the ship of earth in the first place. All of these factors are why the efforts has been concentrated on other areas of research such as solar sails, and ionic propulsion, which are only limited to power satelites.
Unless new science discovery has been made, to travel at sub-light speed with a big-massed ship is still a far-fetched science fiction (and let's not tangle with traveling beyond the speed of light, and wormhole theories all other stuff just yet, shall we? If we can not travel at sub-light speed, there are no points to travel faster than that).
XR
2006-11-30 23:43:29 · answer #1 · answered by XReader 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Liquid Nitrogen and liquid Helium are often used in spacecraft to pressurize systems that require pressure to operate. Example: Pressure-fed rocket engines need a source of pressure to force the propellants into the combustion chamber.
2006-12-01 01:04:34 · answer #2 · answered by Otis F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry about exhaust fumes and pollution in space, just let me know how do you want burn this nitrogen or rather use it as a fuel. Rest I will take care. Happy space travel!!!!!!!!!!
2006-11-30 21:48:21 · answer #3 · answered by balstoall 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nitrogen won't burn. Hydrogen does but remember you also need liquid oxygen with it.
2006-11-30 21:32:30 · answer #4 · answered by tumbleweed1954 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who told you that Nitrogen is a fuel???? It wont burn well with Oxygen.
2006-11-30 23:00:29 · answer #5 · answered by Adithya M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋