Question:
Why does a normal fountain pen oozes ink in a flying jet plane?
?
2010-07-28 04:19:46 UTC
Why does a normal fountain pen oozes ink in a flying jet plane?
Five answers:
Sameer D
2010-07-28 04:29:45 UTC
1) May be because of sudden change in its (pen body) position. The inertia of the ink inside makes it stay in its original position. So the overall effect will be that of jerking the pen which makes ink splash out.



2)



Low Pressure.



That's the short answer.



Back when people used fountain pens as a matter of course, aeroplane cabins had variable pressure throughout the flight. Pens, shampoos, potato chip bags, etc. expand, pop, or leak at high altitudes is because of low air pressure.



The air inside a sealed container holds the pressure of the environment when it was closed. If this container travels up, to Denver or up in an aeroplane, the air pressure --barometric pressure-- of the environment becomes lower than it was closer to sea level. The container expands in dimensions or leaks in an attempt to equalize the pressure.



These days people use ball point pens and they're pens don't leak. ;)



Actually, these days commercial aeroplanes have better seals and climate control systems. However bleeding fountain pens may still be a problem because the pressure during the flight will decrease to that of a mountain city.



According the Boeing (plane manufacturer) "The cabin air system in today's jetliners is designed to provide a safe, comfortable cabin environment at cruising altitudes that can reach upwards of 40,000 feet. At those altitudes, the cabin must be pressurized to enable passengers and crew to breathe normally. By government regulation, the cabin pressure cannot be less, at maximum cruise altitude, than the equivalent of outside air pressure at 8,000 feet."



However, the container/luggage hold is outside the climate control system. Therefore, shampoo in your luggage may still ooze. Hint: puff the air out of the bottle when you pack, and put in a sealed ziplock-type bag in a luggage pocket.
Infinity
2010-07-28 04:35:01 UTC
The atmospheric pressure at the ground level is higher than the pressure at the heights at which the plane flies .Though the pressure inside the plane is maintained at a particular level , it is somewhat less than what it was at the ground level .The pressure in side the pen being at ground level , when it is inside the flight , it oozes out due to the reduced pressure inside the flight ,( outside the pen)
......"DVyas"
2010-07-28 04:40:05 UTC
Due to the Air Pressure
anonymous
2016-04-17 17:30:23 UTC
Fountain pen,
Vikas
2010-07-28 04:24:49 UTC
due to the pressure difference


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...