Snapple In Space!

My significant other and I were at the local fast food joint when a question just popped into my head.

"If I were to open a Snapple bottle in space (or any other vacuum sealed bottle in space), would it pop or break the seal? Furthermore, if I opened it and then closed it in space...brought it back home to America in the shuttle and then opened it in my kitchen would it pop or break the seal for a second time?"

My thoughts were that it wouldn't pop in space because there is no air to rush in to the bottle therefore the vacuum would be complete. Then it we were to close the bottle in space, I think since there is no air in space the bottle would stay sealed and would therefore pop or break the seal when I opened it in Earth.

What do you think?

MODS: If this is in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it. I just couldn't find a better sounding one.

Originally posted by johnwilkesbooth
My significant other and I were at the local fast food joint when a question just popped into my head.

"If I were to open a Snapple bottle in space (or any other vacuum sealed bottle in space), would it pop or break the seal? Furthermore, if I opened it and then closed it in space...brought it back home to America in the shuttle and then opened it in my kitchen would it pop or break the seal for a second time?"

My thoughts were that it wouldn't pop in space because there is no air to rush in to the bottle

Oh Jesus.........LOL, isn't their air supplied to occupants who are in space? Also, aren't the cabins somewhat pressurized? Don't most of what they consume come in pouches?

What do you think?

I think you work for Snapple, or you were extremely bored when you came up with this one.

reply to post by Sissel


Haha, Nah man. Let me elaborate, because I think you missed the point.

Say I'm an astronaut and I'm in outer space. Not on the ship, or the space station, SPACE. I'm wearing the suit outside of the ship in the middle of space.

I open ANY bottle of vacuum sealed liquid. Does it break the seal or no?

Regardless, I go into the station. Come back to Earth and open it back up. Does it break the seal again?

It doesn't have to be Snapple man. Haha, I work for McLane not Snapple, I just happen to love teas of all kind.

I doubt there is a complete space level total vacuum inside the bottle. Probably just "very low pressure".

So... in the vacuum of space it would probably have exploded the cap off before you had a change to do anything. At the very least, the bubble in the cap would be bend up.

If you did manage to open it in the vacuum of space and then bring it back to earth, it might also have collapsed inwards before you had a chance to do anything with it in your kitchen. At the very least, the cap bubble would now be down, like you see with a new one... but more difficult to open.

reply to post by alfa1


I agree, I think the problem you would have is the air pressure that was in the bottle to begin with. It seems there would be problems right away when you pulled it out in "space".

Not to mention I believe it would instantly freeze which would shatter the glass, even if there was no air pressure in it. I don't think your experiment would work, but I think it is a cool thought.