A bubble of gas, diameter 2 mm, is trapped in a container of liquid at normal atmospheric pressure (1 × 10^5 Pa) and a temperature of 25 °C. The container is opened on board an aircraft where the temperature is 22 °C and the surrounding pressure is 0.9 × 10^5 Pa. What is the diameter of the bubble as it escapes from the liquid?

Question

A bubble of gas, diameter 2 mm, is trapped in a container of liquid at normal atmospheric pressure (1 × 10^5 Pa) and a temperature of 25 °C. The container is opened on board an aircraft where the temperature is 22 °C and the surrounding pressure is 0.9 × 10^5 Pa. What is the diameter of the bubble as it escapes from the liquid?

drwls · Answer

Volume increases by a ratio
(P1/P2)*(T2/T1)
where 1 denotes initial and 2 final conditions. T must be in Kelvin.
That ratio is therefore
V2/V1 = (1/0.9)*(295/298)= 1.100

Take the cube root of that ratio to get the diameter ratio.
D2/D1 = 1.032

D2 = 2.065 mm

You don't have many significant figures in your numbers.