The Thunderous Pop of a Beer Bottle: Louder Than a Jet Engine... Sort Of!
Cylinder emits a sound louder than a plane's engine turbine.
Who doesn't know the satisfying "plopp" sound when cracking open a cold beer? But did you know that this familiar sound can be as loud as the roar of a jet engine, at least in the neck of the bottle? That's according to a research team led by physicist Max Koch from the University of Göttingen.
When the "plopp" occurs, the gas in the bottle neck oscillates at around 800 Hertz, and the sound pressure momentarily hits a whopping 180 decibels - louder than being near a jet engine for a brief 70 milliseconds. However, it's important to note that this noise is confined to the neck of the bottle and isn't sustained like the continuous noise of a jet engine.
The team, including hobby brewer Koch, delved into the science behind the "plopp" by using microphones, high-speed cameras, and homemade ginger beer in bottles. The research found that the key factor is a bottle under pressure containing carbon dioxide. When opened, the pressurized carbon dioxide expands rapidly, leading to the distinctive sound.
Intriguingly, when the bottle is opened, the sudden drop in pressure above the liquid causes the previously dissolved gas in the liquid to form bubbles. This, along with the jarring movement as the bottle is opened and the lid hits the neck, contributes to the effervescent effect.
- Beer
- Studies
- Physics
Sources: ntv.de, jaz/dpa
- The team, led by physicist Max Koch from the University of Göttingen, has been investigating the physics behind the sound produced when opening a beer bottle, specifically the 'plopp' sound.
- Interestingly, during their studies, they discovered that the sudden drop in pressure above the liquid in the opened beer bottle causes previously dissolved gas in the liquid to form bubbles, contribuing to the effervescent effect.
- To delve deeper into the science behind the 'plopp' sound, the research team used microphones, high-speed cameras, and even homemade ginger beer in bottles.
