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Spome

Spome is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Spome rather than just read about it. In short: A spome is any hypothetical system closed with respect to matter and open with respect to energy capable of sustaining human life indefinitely. The term was coined in 1966 by Isaac Asimov in a paper entitled "There’s No Place Like Spome", published in Atmosphere in Space Cabins and Closed Environments and originally presented as a paper to the American Chemical Society on September 13, 1965.

Key takeaways

  • Spome belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Spome to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Spome from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A spome is any hypothetical system closed with respect to matter and open with respect to energy capable of sustaining human life indefinitely. The term was coined in 1966 by Isaac Asimov in a paper entitled "There’s No Place Like Spome", published in Atmosphere in Space Cabins and Closed Environments and originally presented as a paper to the American Chemical Society on September 13, 1965. Asimov himself declared his coined word to be uneuphonious (not pleasant to the ear), and defined it as being a portmanteau of the two words "space home".

Definition Asimov described how energy flows through a life-support system from a low entropic state from which it moves all material resources, such as air, water, and food with the rejection of low-grade heat as the final energy output. The concept reflects the dynamics of ecosystem ecology as described by Howard T. Odum. The term applies to any life-support system from submarines to spaceships, and includes the operation of the Earth's own biosphere. The word "spome" was also referenced in a reprint of Asimov's original article in Is Anyone There? 1967 by Doubleday, Ash. He surmised that an asteroid could be "spomified" by being hollowed out and equipped suitably for long term, sustainable flight.

Buckminster Fuller Buckminster Fuller called the concept of a spome "an astronaut's black box", meaning that the necessities of life were supplied through the absorption of energy to cycle material resources and eject heat from the system. Fuller's institute is furthering this concept through understanding of the Earth's comprehensive life support system.

Gerard O'Neill Gerard K. O'Neill does not acknowledge the term "spome", but writes about the concept in The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space. Asimov's concept predates and exceeds O’Neill’s by using a propulsion system with a Spome to allow development of the Solar System, and then leaving to populate the galaxy over eons.

Dandridge Cole Engineer Dandridge Cole in the 1960s called these settlements, "Macro-Life".

See also

Autonomous building – Building designed to be independent from public infrastructure Arcology – Type of design principles for human habitats Biosphere 2 – Closed ecological research center in Arizona Closed ecological system – Ecosystem that does not exchange matter with the exterior Human ecology – Study of humans and their environment Living systems – Multiple interactions and regulation of life forms with their environment Macrolife – 1979 novel by George Zebrowski Primary life support system – Life support device for a space suit

References

External links Essays by Isaac Asimov about technology and space "Is Anyone There?", by Isaac Asimov

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Spome

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Spome claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Spome before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Spome ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Spome

In research
Spome appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Spome in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Spome is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Human spaceflight, Spacecraft components, Spacecraft life support systems, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Spome outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Spome in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Spome means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Spome out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Spome in simple terms?

A spome is any hypothetical system closed with respect to matter and open with respect to energy capable of sustaining human life indefinitely. The term was coined in 1966 by Isaac Asimov in a paper entitled "There’s No Place Like Spome", published in Atmosphere in Space Cabins and Closed Environme…

Why does Spome matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Spome?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Spome.

Tags

  • Human spaceflight
  • Spacecraft components
  • Spacecraft life support systems

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