Can you tell me why an astonaut turns to dust if they take their suit off while on the moon?
I believe the answer has to do with equilibrium thermodynamics. There is no water in the Moon’s (almost non-existent) atmosphere and so the water would get sucked out of the astronaut’s unsuited body in an effort to even out the water vapour pressure over the Moon’s surface. Since there is so little water in the astronaut’s body compared to Moon surface, the water leaves the body very quickly and very completely, leaving behind dry dust.
