Imagining in a situation where working at an International space station and there is an interstellar gas cloud approaching the space station that is about millions of degree. We know that the international space station orbit around the earth, experiencing temperatures between 200 degrees Fahrenheit and below 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In this case, however, the cloud of gas that is targeting directly towards the international space station has a low density. A Million degrees would be way past the boiling point of this international space station however due to the low density, the rate in which the heat is transferred to the international space station may be significantly low. Heat energy is passed on to higher temperature to low temperature. Also, different elements have their characteristic to absorb heat. For example, when water reaches its boiling temperature, adding more heat energy would not increase the temperature. As mentioned, “When energy is added to a liquid at the boiling temperature, it converts the liquid into a gas at the same temperature.” Water cancel out the added heat energy by converting into gas.
Should we abandon the space station? Leaving the ship may not be a good idea. The international space station has a larger mass which could expand the time of the international space station reach the boiling point during the impact. Heat is related to the quantity of matter. Also, the international space station is traveling about 17,000 miles per hour. If I am at a distance to the target where I would need to make this decision, my ride better is able to travel faster than the interstellar gas or I am not going anywhere.
References
The Physics Classroom Thermal Physics – Lesson 1 – Heat and Temperature. Retrieved from
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/thermalP/Lesson-1/What-is-Heat
