If i was in space and wrote a letter with a pen, would the ink float off the paper?

Question

just wondering...

(-:

Answer 1

no, the ink will stain the paper just like on earth. the paper would float not the ink. =)

Answer 2

No because the ink will stick to the paper.

NASA did have to invent a pen that pumps ink out because typical pens use gravity to dispense the ink, and those will not work in zero gravity.

Answer 3

The pen would work as there is physical contact between the ink and the paper.  The "adhesive" qualities of the ink would hold it together.

It might be interesting to see how an ink jet printer would work.

Answer 4

If you write a letter with a pen on Earth and turn it upside down, does the ink fall off?

Answer 5

Nasa wondered and spent a lot of time and money trying to figure it out.

The Russians simply handed out pencils;)

Answer 6

Probably not......

Answer 7

I don't think so

unless it was those old pens

Answer 8

the pen just wouldnt write. theres not enough pressure in the ink to get it to write.

youd need those pressurized space pens that can also write underwater to be able to write in space..

Answer 9

I have one of those NASA pens, and it really does write in almost all conditions, including upside down.

Answer 10

I feel that NASA has already figured that out.  

The astronauts, and cosmonauts would need to write down the results of their experiments and unless they had pencils (which, by the way, are made of pencil lead, which is one of the substances that is heavier than most other elements, and wood and would probably therefore, float, just like everything else) they would need something to write with, don't ya' think, that would, in fact, actually adhear to the paper.  Therefore, I feel that the ink used by those going into space, would be made of something that would adhear to the paper.  And/or the paper is modified also, whichever, comes first.

However, the question is an interesting one.

Answer 11

Nope.

Astronauts did an experiment on the space station once. Scientists weren't sure why planets formed in the clouds around our infant sun so they had an astronaut spin a bag of tiny particles around and see what happened. The result was the particles clumping together. It was not their gravity that did this because they were so tiny, but the friction they had when colliding. The ink would stay on the paper because of friction and surface tension before being absorbed by the paper.

Though it wouldn't be the ink sticking to the page you would have to worry about. Without gravity the ink wouldn't head toward the tip therefore the ink wouldn't come out in the first place. That is why there are space pens. I had one before I lost it =(

I believe the ink comes out because it is put under pressure.

Answer 12

It shouldn't, as long as the paper absorbs the ink immediately. However, it will be hard to find a surface to rest on while you write.

Answer 13

A ball point pen may just not work in space,gravity usually pulls the ink out,however it you got it on the paper it would stay.

Answer 14

well, you'd have to have a specially designed pen (actually alot harder then it might sound, you can't just use air pressure to push the ink out, becuase like wise it'd most likely pump the ink out even when it wasn't being used...

but no, the ink wouldn't float away