• Question: why do our ears pop when going up in a aeroplane ?

    Asked by sarahross11 to MarkF, Mark, Michael, Panos, Sarah on 20 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Panos Soultanas

      Panos Soultanas answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Because of the atmospheric pressure outside our eardrum is reduced compared to the pressure inside the eardrum and that makes the eardrum to pop, equalizing the pressure difference.

    • Photo: Mark Fogg

      Mark Fogg answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Hi Sarah, it can hurt sometimes when that happens.
      Our ears have a little bit of air in the inner ear. The pop is air escaping from your ear as the plane increases height.
      Air under high pressure wants to get to where pressure is lower, a bit like when you put your finger over the end of a bicycle pump and push the plunger, when you remove your finger the air whooshes out. Air pressure in your ear is higher than the air pressure outside your ear at altitude. The air wants to escape but takes a little while. Eventually it does escape and your ear goes pop.

    • Photo: Mark Travis

      Mark Travis answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      It’s to do with the difference in air pressure when you fly- but sorry, don’t know the extreme scientific ins and outs of this!

    • Photo: Michael Loughlin

      Michael Loughlin answered on 20 Jun 2010:

      short answer is its all to do with air pressue and a little pocket on air in your ear expanding against you eardrum as you descend..this hurts and is that air popping feeling when you can’t hear very well

      here’s a longer and more detailed explanation
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/earspopping.shtml

    • Photo: Sarah Burl

      Sarah Burl answered on 20 Jun 2010:

      Because of the pressure difference between the cabin and your body. The pressure in your ears is higher than in the cabin and so wants to escape. If you have a cold and can’t pop your ears this can be dangerous and you could blow your ear drums!

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