How does a flag planted on the moon waves when there's no gravity or air outer space??

Question

bugman954 · Answer

It does not, there are a few short videos where it appears like that but there is another explanation.  When astronauts were planting the flagpole they rotated it back and forth to better penetrate the lunar soil (anyone who's set a blunt tent-post will know how this works). So, of course, the flag waved then.

osprey · Answer

my eyesight isn't good enough to be able to answer this one ... maybe it has just a hint of "conspiracy theory" about it, though ?

sooobored · Answer

no gravity means the flag will remain upright

in the vacuum of space means there is no air resistance

any initial motion applied to the flag might generate a wave due to geometry

flag waving would continue until damping in the soil removes all energy in the system

osprey · Answer

'cepting that there's SOME gravity on the moon, I'd broadly agree with @sooobored. However, I've seen this sort of q posted elsewhere, with a hint of "did it actually happen, or was it rigged". Indeed there was a "hollywood film" "exploring" how it could have been rigged. That's what sort of comes through the thrust of the q posted to me.
As I say, though, my eyesight isn't good enough to see it from here.

osprey · Answer

if the flag was planted with some sort of framework to attempt to keep it more or less "up" so to speak, then "lunar earthquakes" (whatever they are) might shake it all about and look like wind. (or maybe this response is w ... ?)

vincent-lyon.fr · Answer

There IS gravity on the Moon. Do not mistake absence of air and lack of gravity.
A flag will simply hang down, exactly as it does on Earth when there is no wind.

osprey · Answer

ps there's plenty of grav in outer space... that's how the good old reliable universe is held together ! There's also plenty of gas around, just v little of it the right bits of oxygen and nitrogen at right temp and press etc to support life, it seems.

@Vincent-Lyon.Fr are you in France ? Anywhere near CERN ?

vincent-lyon.fr · Answer

I am in Lyon, about 1h40min away.

osprey · Answer

@Vincent-Lyon.Fr It sounds like a very interesting area to be in.Very near some pretty powerful heavy duty physics ? J'ai un ami de plume en Avignon. Vous etes pres de La Camargue ???? osprey2015@hotmail.com http://perendis.webs.com