Final answer:
Loss of cabin pressure can cause structures to collapse due to unbalanced atmospheric pressure, as demonstrated by the implosion of a tanker car with reduced internal pressure. This concept applies to aircraft cabins, where rapid pressure changes can have serious consequences, including structural failure and affecting human health.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Can Occur If Pressure Is Lost in the Cabin
When cabin pressure is lost, the atmospheric force from outside can overwhelm the structures stemming from air molecules colliding with the surfaces of objects. A practical observation of this is the implosion of a railway tanker car with decreased internal pressure, similar to what could happen in an aircraft if the cabin pressure drops significantly. The earth's atmosphere and its air pressure can crush objects that do not balance this pressure internally.
Understanding Air Pressure and Its Effects
Atmospheric pressure is something we live with every day, and while mostly unnoticed, we do feel its changes, such as the popping of ears while flying or diving underwater. The underlying principle is that gas pressure results from gas molecules impacting object surfaces, which under normal circumstances is balanced. If this balance is upset, as in a lower pressure inside a container versus the atmospheric pressure outside, the container may collapse.
Common phenomena showing examples of pressure variation include shower curtains moving inward during a shower due to reduced air pressure on the inside or cars veering towards large trucks on a highway caused by a pressure differential. These day-to-day occurrences underscore the powerful role that pressure plays in our environment and suggests the potential hazards of pressure changes such as in aircraft cabins.
The body is also susceptible to pressure changes; for divers, rapid ascension can result in the bends, a condition where dissolved nitrogen in the body turns to gas, causing pain or even death. Hence, it is crucial to regulate pressure in enclosed spaces like aircraft cabins to ensure structural integrity and safety for the occupants.
Finally, a drop in air pressure can even cause water to boil at room temperature if the pressure is reduced sufficiently in a vacuum chamber. These various examples highlight the sheer impact pressure changes can have on different systems and materials.