Question

If you puncture a cylinder of carbon dioxide gas, why does the gas rush out instead of flowing or leaking out?

a) Due to an increase in temperature.
b) The gas pressure is higher inside the cylinder than outside.
c) The cylinder material forces the gas to rush out.
d) None of the above.

Answer 1

The carbon dioxide gas rushes out of a punctured cylinder due to the higher gas pressure inside compared to the outside until equilibrium is reached.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you puncture a cylinder of carbon dioxide gas, the gas rushes out mainly because the gas pressure inside the cylinder is higher than the pressure outside.

It's not due to an increase in temperature alone or the material of the cylinder forcing the gas out. In physics, this is a result of the pressure differential: higher internal pressure pushes the gas out until equilibrium is reached with the external pressure.