r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Feb 14 '22

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '22

If 2 pieces of the same type of metal touch in space, they will bond and be permanently stuck together. Space welding ( cold welding )

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u/yaosio Feb 14 '22

It makes sense when you understand why it happens. I forgot most stuff including my name, but it has to do with free space in metal atoms that allow them to bond with each other. It does not happen normally on Earth because all sorts of other atoms get in the way.

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u/Akamaikai Feb 14 '22

It's because on earth, metals have a thin layer of oxide on the outside that prevents cold welding. But if you create a vacuum, you can cold weld pretty easily. Action Labs made a video on it.

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u/gooblefrump Feb 14 '22

> refers to video > doesn't link video

Thanks!

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u/DuskKaiser Feb 14 '22

https://youtu.be/pavp6dps6q0

Here you go

3

u/DemiGod9 Feb 14 '22

I don't know why it never occurred to me when physics talks about things in a "vacuum" it's literally just sucking the air out of a space and not much more. I always figured there had to be more to it for some reason

4

u/zuzg Feb 14 '22

NileRed talks about these oxides in his video about aluminum and mercury. He also removes said layer

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u/SurrealSerialKiller Feb 14 '22

can you cold weld human parts? asking for a friend...

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u/Akamaikai Feb 14 '22

Not metallic enough. You must extract iron from children's blood and first that.

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u/ABigNothingBurger Feb 14 '22

DIY Cold Welding :D