Is there Friction in Outer Space?

Answer 1

Hey! So many interesting answers!

Friction is the resistance to movement between two objects. It doesn't matter where they are. The only things that matter are the masses of the objects, and the time that they are in contact.

Coefficient of friction can be determined by finding the weight of the object, divided by the effort that is needed to move the object.

Take a look at these scenarios:

1. Two objects are near each other in space, floating along in the same orbit. If they bump into each other, then there is friction, as long as they are touching. If they are both high mass, then friction will be high, and contact will occur over a longer period of time. If they are low mass, their path will change quickly as they bounce off each other. Friction will be low.

2. Two objects are traveling extremely fast relative to each other in space. The relative speed or momentum will increase the friction when they meet. So, it is more difficult for one to just bounce of the other. What happens will depend on how massive the two objects are. A tiny rock will pass right through a spaceship if their combined speed is high enough. There will be friction each time the rock passes through a object, and each impact will slow it down. How much friction slows it will depend on the masses of the materials involved.

3. In an old abandoned space station there is no air, just the vacuum of space. The station is spinning, which creates artificial gravity. Objects laying on the floor will not move around because of friction and their artificial weight. If the station was not spinning, the objects would float around in a nearly friction free environment.

;-D Any time two objects meet there is friction, no matter where they are. Their masses or weights determine how they react.

Answer 2

There is a small amount of friction in space, due to the sparse distribution of hydrogen and other material floating around out there. However, it is extremely tiny, so, for example, you would probably encounter more of it going through the Earth's atmosphere than flying all the way from Earth orbit to Proxima Centauri (a distance some 10^11 times as great). In a true vacuum, there would be far less friction even than that, although it's possible quantum mechanics would cause a very small amount of it anyway (think of flying across the entire Universe and hitting less than you would traversing the Earth's atmosphere).

As for getting to other stars, it's not friction that's the problem there. It's just plain speed. We could indeed send a spaceship to some other star system (and in fact certain spaceships, such as Pioneer and Voyager, are already heading out into interstellar space), but right now we don't have the technology to get there in less than a few thousand years. It's not friction, it's just plain distance- an enormous amount of it.

Answer 3

Yes. Space is not a perfect vacuum. In other words there are atoms floating around even in intergalactic space. The concentration of matter is extremely thin measured in a few atoms per cubic kilometer of space. If you are moving through space it is inevitable that you will come in contact with these and you will have friction. A very massive object traveling close to the speed of light will be actually slowed down by this infinitesimal friction.

Answer 4

Yes, there is a very very very small amount of friction.
Space is not exactly empty; there are molecules and atoms of elements and compounds, although their density is so low that friction is negligible.
Imagine a rock falling in water. The rock falling in water experiences friction; that is because the rock 'pushes' in a way the water molecules aside. If it went through a less dense body than water, then the rock would experience even less friction.
The density of space between objects is so low that friction is negligible, but existent.

Answer 5

If you mean beyond earth's atmosphere by "outer space" then yes, there is friction but it is exceedingly less than in our atmosphere. Solar wind from the sun causes some friction. Space dust and the few stray molecules that exist in space cause very slight friction.

Answer 6

There is no friction in empty outer space.

However, inside or outside a space station there is friction in parts that move against one another. For
friction to happen, you have to have something
rubbing against something else. In a vacuum you
have nothing but a lot of emptiness. Outer space is
just about as near to a perfect vacuum as we will
encounter.

Answer 7

Outer space is considered a vacuum but that is compared to what we can produce here on earth. Although there is little matter, there is some between the planets, stars and even between the galaxies so there is friction in any outer space. However it is so little that the effect can be ignored in scientific calculations of, for example, satellites sent to explore other planets.

Answer 8

Sure. If you rub your hands together in outer space, you have friction. If 2 planets or asteroids collide, you get tremendous friction. Even in open space there are some atoms that come together and create friction. In a perfect space, perfect nothingness, there would be no friction.

Answer 9

Granted there would be almost none, but there is some because even though space is better than any vaccuum created here on earth, there are still some particles floating around out there. An object travelling through space will bump into those particles and create friction.

Answer 10

Sure, any two objects rubbing against each other will have friction. If anything, it's worse in space, because there's usually some amount of trapped air between two surfaces, but not in space, resulting in closer interaction, and therefore higher friction in space.