aircraft pressure and gel deodorant

[bad beetz]

I have a stick of Old Spice high endurance gel deodorant in my carry on luggage.

The facts:

It is 90% full.
The top is securely fastened, probably airtight.
The knob to dispense is a twist. It does not click.

When I get off the plane, a good third of the gel is now in between the cap and the stick. My friend says the culprit is the depressurization of the cabin. I disagree.

The cabin is pressurized so we retain a semblance of normal surface air pressure. Now, if it were over pressurized, this would create a difference between air pressure on the end of the stick, and between the cap and stick. This could suck the gel into the area between cap and stick IF, and this is an important if, the base is allowed to move freely, which it's not. The base is secured to a threaded dispenser rod which cannot move without my fingers. Also, because the gel is incompressable, it can't move unless the base moves.

Does anybody know the specifics of what happens to pressure when in flight? Greater or less than normal air pressure? Has anyone experienced this phenomenom? Does anyone think it has anything to do with the government? Why are you all looking at me?

[Jimbo]

If the cabin is so well pressurized why do your ears pop when you climb in elevation? Answer: It is not pressurized to sea level so there is a pressure differential which did not exist prior to takeoff.

"The top is securely fastened, probably airtight."

Likely not airtight at all, obviously not gel-tight.

"The knob to dispense is a twist. It does not click. "

Nice design.

"This could suck the gel into the area between cap and stick IF, and this is an important if, the base is allowed to move freely, which it's not. "

Not really an important factor but explainable in two ways.

"The base is secured to a threaded dispenser rod which cannot move without my fingers."

Perhaps, perhaps it turned by virtue of the difference in air pressure, potentially as strong as fingers. Then again perhaps the gel simply oozed into the cap space seeking to equalize the pressure.

Also, because the gel is incompressable, it can't move unless the base moves. "

Very few things cannot be compressed, water may be one, deodorant probably is not. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

In other words it probably is the fault of government regulations regarding cabin pressurization. Write your congressman and ask for either more cabin pressure or better deodorant packaging! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[Ray Zee]

aircraft are pressurized to about 8,000 feet. so when high up you feel like you are at 8,000 feet. as you get higher the pressure is less than at sea level. so things in bags or containers will expand some and contract when you go down if they are a fluid or gas. but at those pressures nothing much will happen. that is why chip bags and coke cans dont explode in a pressurized cabin when you fly. take them up to 25,000 feet unpressurized and they will pop. your ears pop since there is some presure change.
if you are not used to altitude above 10 to 14,000 feet you start to get giddy if you do not get supplemental oxygen. over about 15 everyone gets off kilter.

[bad beetz]

Perhaps, perhaps it turned by virtue of the difference in air pressure, potentially as strong as fingers. Then again perhaps the gel simply oozed into the cap space seeking to equalize the pressure.

I think this is it. Clicking types would have saved me with just that little bit of added resistance. Damn you Old Spice. DAMN YOUZ TO HELL!