to ask non-scientists how they think snow globes work....

[M3lon]

...and what would happen if there was no water or air in the globe with the glitter.

All for a good cause I promise!

[ClockworkNightingale]

I feel like if the glitter wasn't suspended in anything, static electricity would probably stick it to the sides? But gravity should still act on the glitter as otherwise.

This is the most suspenseful thread on Mumsnet. And googling 'glitter vacuum' has only revealed that Barbie make glittered hoovers . . . and this patent. Please come back OP.

[FlaviaAlbia]

I want Wherismymind to be right, that would be amazing!

[NicoAndTheNiners]

I think there’s thickened water and glitter. Little air bubble. Shake it up and the glitter slowly settles.

I think with no air and no water it would be a vacuum and the glitter would be stuck to the sides???

[BertieBotts]

This is a trick question. Glitter resists all vacuuming. Surely every parent knows that

[musicposy]

BertieBotts 😂

[inkydinky]

Bertiebotts!

[ToadOfSadness]

I am awaiting the outcome of this thread with interest, however I read once that the liquid in some cases, if leaked, can poison pets, and is possibly something like anti freeze or screen wash so am more interested now.

[Oddcat]

I think that when the globe is tipped upside down the snow will stay where it is because there will be no air for it to move through .

[DianaPrincessOfThemyscira]

I think even in a vacuum the glitter would be affected by gravity so it would fall straight down.

Ditto with water but maybe slower.

[Dopplerineffect]

think that when the globe is tipped upside down the snow will stay where it is because there will be no air for it to move through .

Things don’t need air to move.

Brian cox in the vacuum chamber.

[Anniegetyourgun]

Yon snow globe would have to be made of some mighty tough substance not to collapse in on itself if it were to contain a vacuum. I know from sad experience they really aren't that tough.

[Exasperatedcroc]

Would a vacuum inside the snow globe not cause the glass to shatter inwards, thereby dispersing the glitter?

[Wherismymind]

This is a trick question. Glitter resists all vacuuming. Surely every parent knows that

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Depending on the material I'd expect the glitter to outgas

[VanillaLatteAndCake]

I have no idea what the answer might be! I feel like I should.
Space is a vacuum isn't it? And things move in space so I presume the glitter would still move but it will also be subject to other forces on it-gravity.
That's my hypothesis

[PandaPieForTea]

I think that the glitter would get stuck to the glass/plastic due to static.

[AlbusPercival]

I think we have to assume particularly tough glass, not normal snow globe thin stuff

[Typhers]

Good thing you asked, as I’m an amateur scientist! (No shit, I once did a study on whether spiders with no legs could survive. My hypothesis was currect, the hairy little demons die)

Alas, without air or water in the snow globe the atmospheric changes would mean that no miniature ozone layer would be created. Much like on the planet Earth this proves to be a bad thing. Without the ozone layer the hydrogen waves emitted from the moon go straight into the snow globe without any deflection (hydrogenmooncide deflection effect).

The result is, the snow melts.

[Typhers]

Correct ^ chubby finger syndrome 🤓

[OhNoGroken]

We are a couple of scientists and we concur with the moving faster through the vacuum as per gravity/orientation. Would love to know the official answer!

[NotTerfNorCis]

We think air pressure from the outside could cause the glass to collapse if there was a vacuum inside, depending on the strength of the glass.

[MummySparkle]

After giving it some more thought, if you shake it enough will it start sparking?

[M3lon]

Thank you all so much for contributing - I love some of the ideas!

The majority thinking is basically correct. If you take out the liquid and air then the glitter will fall very much faster, at the acceleration determined by the gravitational field. Whether or not it would bounce depends on what its made of, and what the globe is made of. Certainly it is also true that a standard snow globe would not support a vacuum against atmospheric pressure.

If you (magically) took out all heat transfer and dissipation mechanisms the glitter would bounce around forever. With real materials it will all settle down to the bottom pretty quickly.

Static may cause sticking to the outside, but you'd have to have a mechanism to charge the glitter or the globe up. That usually happens by friction, which is at a minimum with no air present...

So the liquid and the air simply slow these processes down, by providing a frictional force that prevents the glitter from accelerating beyond a 'terminal' velocity at which it can fall through the liquid.

[Snickerdoodledandy]

Why did u ask OP?