Question

a. Explain why bicycle tires seem higher in the summer than in winter.
b. Explain why a can of soda pop explodes if left in the hot sun.
c. A rigid container filled with a gas is placed in ice (ex. nalgene bottle). What will happen to the pressure of the gas? What do you think will happen to the volume?
d. An infected tooth forms an abscess* that fills with gas. The abscess puts pressure on the nerve of the tooth, causing a toothache. While waiting to see a dentist, the person with the toothache tried to relieve the pain by treating the infected area with moist heat. Will this treatment help? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Answer:

a) When air inside the tires gets colder, it shrinks, so the tires seem flat, even though they haven't lost any air.

b) When the air inside the soda can gets hot, the molecules of gas move faster, exerting more and more and more pressure, eventually exploding the soda can.

c) When the nalgene is cooled, the air pressure inside will lower; the volume of the nalgene will stay the same, though, because the nalgene is a rigid container.