Would trash still decay if we just dumped it in space?

Question

Or would the cold temperatures cause all life meaning baterial to cease?

Answer 1

There would be no way for anything to act upon the trash, such as water or bacteria, therefore it would not decay. If it came too close to the sun it would burn up. It could also burn up if it fell back to Earth.

Answer 2

It would, over time, decay in an atomic sense due to radioactive bombardment which would lead to simpler molecular structure in the compounds making up the trash.

It may be caught in a gravitational field of a larger body and burn up when it gets too close (be it the sun, another planet or from impact on a body with no atmosphere).

Decay in the biological sense requires oxygen and a bacterial or other life to 'eat' the trash. This is why paper vs. plastic doesn't make much difference when the trash is buried in a land fill - both decay at around the same rate when there is insufficient oxygen to make a difference between the two.

Temperature has a huge impact in the speed of the process, but decay in the sense I think you are asking has other important factors mediating the process - temperature is not the only issue at play.

Answer 3

No,it wouldn't decay because the bacteria cannot survive the vacuum of space. Bacteria, as any other living organism requires an atmosphere to survive.

Answer 4

Decay is not possible in space. I see that the others have done much to emphasize that. However, our waste may land on another planet, or a comet could hit the waste.

Answer 5

bacteria cant survive in space because of no air. besides you would be littering space or it might burn up in Earths atmosphere.

Answer 6

Good question. I see that others have already answered.