Time for another stupid question!!!

[SkyHog]

Ok - the night is growing long and tiresome for me, and I had another question pop into my head that means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Say an airliner is crusing at FL370 (random number) and suddenly experiences rapid decompression. Does that mean that every cup of coffee on board would suddenly start boiling?

If so - does that mean that the entire cabin would quickly fill with steam?

Granted, I'm sure most people would be more concerned with donning O2 masks to ensure survival, but still....

 

[wbarnhill]

While pressure does drop rapidly, you have to realize a few things...

The atmosphere is not a total vacuum, there will still be pressure there, just not as much as at sea level. Atop Mt. Everest (approx 29000ft), the pressure is approximately 34% of what it is at sea level, and water will boil at about 72 C (~161 F). While this is a significant drop from 100 C, it's still not near "room temperature". And of course, the other issue is the temperature drop associated with the decompression. So I'd have to say the coffee would splash all over. But interesting thought

(Another interesting question from Straight Dope:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_127.html
"Would a glass of water in space freeze or boil?")

 

[jesse]

If so - does that mean that the entire cabin would quickly fill with steam?

I'm have to get to work.. So I can't really explain or go into detail.


But I beleive in a rapid decompression situation.. the entire cabin will fill with a fog, because the air will no longer be able to hold the mositure it did previously.

 

[Henning]

Ok - the night is growing long and tiresome for me, and I had another question pop into my head that means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Say an airliner is crusing at FL370 (random number) and suddenly experiences rapid decompression. Does that mean that every cup of coffee on board would suddenly start boiling?

If so - does that mean that the entire cabin would quickly fill with steam?

Granted, I'm sure most people would be more concerned with donning O2 masks to ensure survival, but still....

I doubt anyone would be able to notice over the rest of the fog filling the cabin from the pressure/temprature change, plus, I think at that altutude the coffee would have to be around 165*F to boil.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Nope, the coffee wouldn't boil until at much higher altitudes and much lower pressures but, the opened beers and champagne would fizz rapidly and so should be drunk with all due haste.

 

[AirBaker]

Nope, the coffee wouldn't boil until at much higher altitudes and much lower pressures but, the opened beers and champagne would fizz rapidly and so should be drunk with all due haste.

"We're goin down! CHUG CHUG CHUG!"

 

[ScottM]

I have done medium decompressions in the hyperbaric chamber. We went from 6 atmospheres of pressure back to 2 atmospheres and we have gotten condensation allong with a rapid decrease in temp.

I would expect the same thing to happen for the same reasons in a plane.