A common belief is that a hole in a jet plane can suck a person out. On an episo

Question

A common belief is that a hole in a jet plane can suck a person out. On an episode of the popular TV series Myth Busters, hosts Adam and Jaime attempted to determine whether this is possible. According to the hosts' experiment, such an event cannot happen (that is, they "busted" the myth). But did they need to perform the experiment? As a science advisor to the show, Adam and Jaime ask you to perform a crude calculation to test the myth. A typical jet plane travels at 522 mph at a cruising altitude of 31500 ft. The windows on a jet plane measure 14.0 in × 14.0 in. Calculate the force in lbs exerted on such a window as the plane flies at 31500 ft. above the sea level. (Assume the density and pressure of air at 31500 feet is 0.429 kg/m3 and 276 mbar but the interior of the plane remains pressurized to atmospheric pressure, that is, 1 atm.) Calculate the fractional difference between this force and the weight wman of a typical adult male (185 lb).

How do you respond?

a) There is no need to perform the experiment; it is impossible for a person to be sucked out of a plane.

or

b) My calculation does not prove that such an event cannot happen; you will need to perform the experiment.

Explanation / Answer

cruising altitude=31500 ft=9601.2 m

jet speed=522 mph=233.355 m/s

window measurement=14 in * 14 in=0.3556 m*0.3556 m

density of air=0.429 kg/m^3

pressure of air=276 mbar=27600 Pa=27600 N/m^2

interior pressure of the plane=1 atm=101325 N/m^2

force exerted=pressure difference*area

=(101325-27600)*0.3556*0.3556 N=9322.62 N

as 1 N=0.2248089 lbs,

9322.62 N=2095.8083 lbs

and this force is directed from higher pressure to lower pressure direction hence from inside the cabin to outside atmosphere

ratio of this force/weight of a typical adult male=2095.8083/185=11.3287

hence it is not impossible for the event to not happen.

hence you need to perform the experiment

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