Have you ever wondered why a bag of crisps ( or potato chips ) expands on an aeroplane? It's all about air pressure.
The crisp packet was sealed at a lower altitude where atmospheric pressure is higher than at higher altitudes.
As a plane takes off and altitude increases, the atmospheric pressure outside the bag decreases, but the amount of air inside the bag stays the same. This means the air inside the bag now exerts greater pressure on the air outside, making it puff up.
Last Updated on May 14, 2025 by Emma Vanstone
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