Air Pressure
An experiment for next time you fly…
Here is a simple experiment for you to try next time you are in a jet plane…
Step 1: On the ground before takeoff, blow up a balloon and tie it off
Don’t make it too big… it will get bigger as the plane climbs and we don’t want it to burst! Make it no more than half full of air.
Tip: balloon shops sell plastic ties which let you tie off a balloon in such a way that you can untie it if you wish, rather than having to pop the balloon. Popping a balloon in an airplane will most likely frighten someone onboard and not win you any friends!
Step 2: Let the plane takeoff and carry you to great heights
This is easy… just sit there and let the plane and the pilots do all the work!
Step 3: Observe… the balloon has grown!
As your plane climbs the cabin air pressure decreases. The air pressure inside the balloon can therefore push out further than when you were on the ground.
In other words, the air trapped inside the balloon wants to take up MORE SPACE than it did on the ground.
Can these pressure changes affect us? Yes, in our ears!
