Could you open a closed syringe in space, why or why not?
In: Physics
It depends.
The reason why you can’t open it on Earth is because the atmosphere pushes on the syringe with greater force than you can exert to open it. If the syringe were open, the air would rush inside to equalise the pressure, but when the syringe is sealed, you can’t move it very much.
If you closed the syringe in space (while spacewalking) and then tried to open it, it would be a lot easier than trying to do it on Earth, because the “weight” of the Earth’s atmosphere is several orders of magnitude greater than that of space’s.
If you closed it on Earth and then took it to space, because the pressure inside the syringe is equal to Earth’s atmospheric pressure, it would actually open *on its own*, and you would find it impossible to push in, assuming that the syringe hasn’t already exploded.
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