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If two pieces of metal touch in space, they become permanently stuck together.
If two pieces of metal touch in space, they become permanently stuck together. is a Space Fact in the Space Facts category.
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Fact Information
This may sound unbelievable, but it is true. Two pieces of metal without any coating on them will form in to one piece in the vacuum of space. This doesn't happen on earth because the atmosphere puts a layer of oxidized material between the surfaces. This might seem like it would be a big problem on the space station but as most tools used there have come from earth, they are already coated with material. In fact, the only evidence of this seen so far has been in experiments designed to provoke the reaction. This process is called cold welding.
Fact Tags
Tags: Space, Metal, Science, Interesting
Fact Comments
339 days ago
Anonymous
Why though?
318 days ago
attitude dolljavascript:void(0);
lol!XD
316 days ago
TheOriginalRage
It takes special conditions for it to work. On earth metals form a thin layer of oxidation that keeps them from "welding" together when they touch. In space you would have to have to pieces of metal that were un-oxidized for it to work.
276 days ago
Peter Hansen
@TheOriginalRage Yes, and on top of that, the surfaces on the metals that touch, would also need to be polished to an extremely fine degree in order for the metals to properly fuse with one another.
272 days ago
dylan
not kool lol ahahahahahahaha
248 days ago
the dude
wow! woooooooooooooooooooow!
248 days ago
the dude
cool dudes cool ....................................waffes!!!!!!
227 days ago
shaun
cool i want to see it happen!!!!!!!
213 days ago
???????????????????????!
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209 days ago
sM!L3y
omg kool thts awsome... but then kinda bad:/ but its still awsome lol xD
208 days ago
TheSlap12345
That is so cool I can't believe it!
165 days ago
Hmm
Well when repair must be made on satellites and space stations does this mean that the equipment must have a small layer of oxidation to prevent fusion? Or would they se dull unpolished metals?
91 days ago
Prove it
Ya, prove it,nerd...lol
34 days ago
Anonymous
How do you know?
32 days ago
lol
Thats actually true :S When metal touches on earth there is a kind of, Stuff on it that prevents it from welding itself together I suppose, Think of it as two weak magnets trying to connect through your hand it just wont hold because there is something separating it
10 days ago
Spacedude
Absolutely true. It's not just space though. Its an issue in any oxygen poor environment. This is why you dont see hinges in space. When they open a door its usually by exploding bolts. A one time deal. This is also why the motors that drive the mars rovers were difficult to designs. They could not allow two metals to touch each other. Even if coated, there is still the risk in a friction intense environment that the coating would wear off and the metal would fuse.
6 days ago
Anoymous
hi
