Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

07:54
Experimental Methods of Dust Charging and Mobilization on Surfaces with Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation or Plasmas
Published on: April 3, 2018
Electrical breakdown caused by dust motion in low-pressure atmospheres: considerations for Mars
Abstract:
Electrification of agitated dust can cause visible breakdown in a carbon dioxide atmosphere at low pressure in a laboratory experiment. Dust storms on earth become electrified, with accompanying breakdown phenomena. Martian dust storms may reduce the atmospheric conductivity by capturing fast ions on particles, and, by electrifying, may cause discharges in the relatively low pressure atmosphere.
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Sometimes, there is a need to convert from one unit to another one. For instance, reading a cookbook in which quantities are expressed in units of liters or ounces may require conversion of quantities to cups. Or, when looking up directions on how to get to a location, we may be interested to know how many miles we are going to walk. In this case, we would have to convert units of feet or meters to miles.
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