Why does the closed top of a convertible bulge when the car is riding along a highway? Why does the closed top of a convertible
bulge when the car is riding along a highway? The air pressure is greater outside the car than inside. The volume of air inside the car increases. The air blows into the front part of the roof, lifting the back part. The air pressure inside the car is greater than the pressure outside.
The air pressure inside the car is greater than the pressure outside.
Explanation:
When considering airflow over and around a surface, from Bernoulli's equation, air flow regions with higher velocity have a lower pressure, and regions with lower velocity have a higher pressure.
The air outside the convertible is moving faster than the air inside the convertible. This leads to a higher pressure zone just below the surface of the roof (inside the car) causing the roof of the convertible to bulge upwards
