Chapter 13: Problem 62

Air pressure in an airplane cabin while in flight is significantly lower than at sea level. Explain in terms of Henry's law how this affects the speed at which a carbonated beverage, after opening, loses its fizz.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Because of Henry's law, the lower air pressure in an airplane cabin made the CO2 in the beverage escape faster, which in turn makes the beverage lose its fizz faster compared to sea level.

Step by step solution

Understand Henry's Law

Henry's Law states that the amount of dissolved gas in a liquid is proportional to its partial pressure above the liquid. So the concentration of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the pressure of that gas above the surface of the solution. In mathematical terms, \[C=kP\], \nwhere \n\(C\) is the concentration of the dissolved gas,\n\(k\) is the Henry's law constant (which is temperature dependent) and \n\(P\) is the partial pressure of the gas.

Relate Henry's Law to Carbonated Beverage

For a carbonated beverage, the fizz is caused by dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2). The CO2 in the drink will keep fizzing until the partial pressure of the CO2 above the solution is the same as the pressure of CO2 within the solution. When a soda can is sealed, the carbon dioxide in the space above the liquid is at a higher pressure than the CO2 in the air outside the can, causing the CO2 to remain dissolved in the soda.

Understand the effect of different air pressures

If the air pressure outside a can drops, such as in an airplane cabin during a flight, the CO2 in the soda will not be as compressed. According to Henry's law, a decrease in pressure above a liquid causes a decrease in the amount of gas dissolved in that liquid. Therefore, the lower gas pressure in the airplane cabin will cause the CO2 to escape from the soda more quickly, making the beverage lose its fizz faster.

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Air pressure in an airplane cabin while in flight is significantly lower than at sea level. Explain in terms of Henry's law how this affects the speed at which a carbonated beverage, after opening, loses its fizz.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand Henry's Law

Relate Henry's Law to Carbonated Beverage

Understand the effect of different air pressures

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