Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: The Scientist on 19/12/2010 10:43:02

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: The Scientist on 19/12/2010 10:43:02

Well, this is a question I thought of, as if we do manage to remove all dust on Earth, we'll affect the ecosystem. So if we ever managed to remove all dust in the Universe, excluding Earth, what effects/ aftermath will it cause? Thanks!

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 19/12/2010 11:03:32

Ah...surely the bigger question how can we do it?  [:)]

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: The Scientist on 19/12/2010 11:08:22

Quote from: Chemistry4me on 19/12/2010 11:03:32

Ah...surely the bigger question how can we do it?  [:)]

haha ture true, but assuming that we can do it, what are its effects on the Universe?

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 19/12/2010 12:22:33

It depends what you mean by dust (as opposed to gas).  Interstellar dust is an essential feature that helps stars to form by gravitational collapse. and so this would be affected but only for a while because stars create dust and would eventually replenish it.  This is just the same as the effects on the earth because dust has a natural cycle and would eventually be replaced.

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: graham.d on 19/12/2010 12:28:21

Another application for a vacuum cleaner. Sorry to recycle this joke.

If you mean to make it magically disappear I guess the effect would be to make the unverse expand more quickly. Dust makes up a significant perentage of the total visible mass but not much of the total mass, so I guess the effect may be small. However we do not understand very much about the balance of mass vs dark energy and so maybe it could have significant effects if mass were suddenly to disappear. I am not sure that such a hypothetical, and impossible, idea has much value except to a zen physicist :-)

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: The Scientist on 24/12/2010 02:07:12

Quote from: graham.d on 19/12/2010 12:28:21

Another application for a vacuum cleaner. Sorry to recycle this joke.

If you mean to make it magically disappear I guess the effect would be to make the unverse expand more quickly. Dust makes up a significant perentage of the total visible mass but not much of the total mass, so I guess the effect may be small. However we do not understand very much about the balance of mass vs dark energy and so maybe it could have significant effects if mass were suddenly to disappear. I am not sure that such a hypothetical, and impossible, idea has much value except to a zen physicist :-)

Allowing the universe to expand more quickly is that an advantage or disadvantage?

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: Geezer on 24/12/2010 04:37:30

Rats! Graham beat me to it.

I was about to say we'd put Hoover out of business  [:D]

Title: What will happen if we managed to remove all dust from the universe?
Post by: graham.d on 24/12/2010 09:41:40

"Allowing the universe to expand more quickly is that an advantage or disadvantage?"

Nobody knows. We don't have a good enough understanding of what this would mean.