How do car tires support a vehicle's weight?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Air pressure pushes outward against rubber
Air pressure pushes outward against rubber ✓ — Correct! Tires are pressure vessels. Compressed air (30-45 psi) pushes outward in all directions against the flexible rubber. This outward force creates structural rigidity—the air itself, not the rubber, bears the weight. Deflate a tire and the rubber collapses because it's too soft to support anything heavy on its own.
Rubber becomes rigid when inflated — Wrong. Rubber's properties don't change when inflated. The support comes entirely from compressed air pushing outward. Rubber just contains the air—it's the pressure inside that does the work.
Air chemically bonds with the rubber — Wrong. No chemical bonding occurs. Air molecules simply bounce around inside the tire, creating pressure that pushes equally in all directions. This outward force against the rubber is what provides structural support.
More Physics in Daily Life questions
- In a warm office that already reads 26 C, which change can make people feel cooler without lowering the thermostat?
- Why might 26 C feel acceptable in a breezy naturally ventilated summer building but too warm in a sealed winter office?
- On a warm humid day, why can the same 27 C room feel much worse once you start sweating?
- Why can moving air make a 27 C room feel cooler without changing the thermometer?
- Which hidden factor can make a desk beside a cold window feel chilly even when the thermostat across the room still reads 22 C?
- In the same 22 C room, why might someone who just climbed stairs feel warm while someone sitting in a T-shirt feels chilly?