What would a fan do in outerspace?

Question

What would a fan do in outerspace?

Answer 1

The density of air molecules in outer space is about 1 atom per cubic meter.  It's not unlikely that that one atom in the cubic meter around the fan will hit the blades of the fan and be propelled at a higher speed forward.  That's about all that would happen.  One atom is not much of a breeze.

Answer 2

In vacuum? nothing. The blades go round but there is not air for them to push. Then the motor seizes due to oil evaporation.

On a space station or someplace with air? The same as on earth, it moves air.

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Answer 3

Connected to a electrical source, it would spin as usual.

Of course, it would not "blow" anything. There is no air to blow, as it were.

HTH

Charles

Answer 4

whooa!! that question just blew my mind (no pun intended) for real this stuff is bugging me out

Answer 5

I'm going to assume that your talking about your everyday household electric fan.

If that's the case, then

1. Space is a vacuum, so it wouldn't move any air around.

2. Now for the cool part, the fan would still turn and start the whole fan body rotating. Since it is weightless in space there would be nothing to stop the rotation of the motor itself from moving the whole fan.

Its kinda how a gyroscope works.

Hope that helps.

Answer 6

Outer space is not a total vacuum space. You will encounter solar wind if you are within solar system. So, if you build a giant fan and attach it to a turbine, it will run and generate electric power just as a windmill would do so on earth. A spacecraft driven by giant sails is one of the ideas for intergalactic travel.

If you are far outside the solar system you might still get intergalactic wind intensity of which will depend on its source, proximity to a star, etc.  

Answer 7

It will waste energy for no reason.

Answer 8

I assume that you mean outside of a ship....

The fan would spin at a MUCH faster rate than it would in air, due to the near total lack of friction compared to the load it is designed to push against.

The motor housing would spin in the opposite direction as the blades, at a rate where the spinning momentum equaled the momentum of the blades.

It would probably burn out the motor if it were cheaply made, as most fans from Wal Mart are.

If it were on a power cord and not battery operated, then it would start to twist the power cord from the body's rotation, and gradually wind its way back to the ship.

Inside the ship, it would spin at normal speeds, but would thrust its way backwards as it did so. Depending on its design and configuration (say, an oscelating fan on a base pedistal), it might even tumble end over end in addition to the body's rotation.

Answer 9

Are we talking baseball or football? The baseball fan would be wearing a spacesuit. The football fan would be the one with his shirt off, painted in his team colors. The basketball fan would be the one breaking windows and looting stores.

Answer 10

Nothing. It will rotate, but no air would be produced, since the fan circulates the air, and it does not produce the air.

Answer 11

Being weightless I wouldn't be too shocked if the fan motor rotated instead of the fan blade, they might both rotate in the opposite direction of each other. That is if it is outside a spacecraft.

If it were inside I would think it would still move air around inside the spacecraft,