Why Can't Car Windows Be Opened When Submerged in Water?

[McAliyah]

Because the water pressure is too great. Here are the relevant explanations: 1. Internal and external pressure difference: The cabin contains air, and the pressure difference between inside and outside causes the force exerted by water on the door to reach 150 kilograms, making it impossible to open. When the cabin is completely filled with water, the internal and external pressures balance out, allowing the door to be opened as easily as if in air. 2. Atmospheric pressure: After the car plunges into water 1 meter deep, the door is subjected to the equivalent of 1 ton of water pressure. Inside the car, there is basically only atmospheric pressure, which is negligible compared to the water pressure. Water slowly enters the cabin at a very slow rate. At this point, the driver typically panics and desperately tries to open the door, accelerating oxygen consumption inside the car. By the time the cabin is fully flooded and the pressure on both sides of the door balances out, the driver, having exhausted oxygen and likely ingested a large amount of water, may already be unconscious or lack the strength to open the door.