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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1999  > July  >
Chemical Education Today
Report
Chemical Interactions in a Reduced Gravity Environment
Paul Focke, Maria Spector, Bob Holicek, and Jeff Spector
University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Chemistry, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706-1396, USA
Cover
July 1999
Vol. 76 No. 7
p. 880
Abstract
The NASA Reduced Gravity Program is operated by the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, and provides the unique "weightless" environment of space flight for test and training purposes. Started in 1959, the Reduced Gravity Program is used to investigate human and hardware reactions to a weightless environment.
Supplement
A series of experiments demonstrating chemical interactions were performed in a reduced gravity environment. The videos of these experiments are available as supplementary material and require QuickTime 3 for viewing. You can download a free copy of QuickTime from http://www.apple.com.

  • The KC-135A Turbojet
    The reduced gravity environment is obtained with a specially modified KC-135A turbojet that flies parabolic arcs to produce weightless periods of 20-25 seconds. The plane climbs to 35,000 feet and then drops to 25,000 feet creating a microgravity environment inside the plane.

  • Human Weightlessness
    The students/authors of the proposal onboard the KC-135 experiencing weightlessness.

  • Liquid Immiscibility
    A 1-L plastic soda bottle had previously been filled with 1/3 vegetable oil and 2/3 water, and the bottle was then shaken during the microgravity time period. The two liquids remained immiscible, yet did not separate until the system experienced gravity.

  • Crystal Formation
    Crystals grown during a number of parabolas of 0-g to 2-g were compared to those crystals grown in a 1-g environment. The main difference is the shape of the crystals. Those grown in a reduced gravity environment have a zig-zag pattern, while those grown in a 1-g environment were straight.

  • The Formation of Polyurethane Foam
    Two liquids were mixed together in a small container and the reaction resulted in the foam climbing out of the container without gravitational pull. The energy of the reaction provided the only directional push applied to the system.

  • Magnetism of Ferrofluid
    Ferrofluid is a liquid that contains suspended nano-sized magnetic particles. In the presence of a magnet, these particles will align themselves with the magnetic field and create spike formations in the liquid. By allowing the ferrofluid to float freely towards the magnet under a reduced gravity environment, the elongation and apparent increase in velocity of the liquid could be observed as it approached the magnet.

  • Molecular Models
    Two colors of plastic balls with cylindrical magnets protruding from the spheres in tetrahedral and octahedral arrangements were used, and the balls of each color had magnets oriented with opposing polarity. Under a reduced gravity environment, the authors were hoping to achieve patterned self-assembly, mimicking common mineral structures with this experiment. Unfortunately, the effect was not strong enough in a 1-g environment; thus, a definitive pattern was not observed.


    • *  Contents
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    More Information
    *  Citation
    		 Focke, Paul; Spector, Maria; Holicek, Bob ; Spector, Jeff. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 880.
    *  Keywords
    		 Public Understanding; Crystallography / Crystal Growth; Materials Science
    *  History
    		 Created:
    Last Updated:    		 June 9, 1999
    June 23, 2005
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