Eli5: Why are car tires filled with air and not just made completely of rubber?
In: Engineering
Air provides a cushion on which the tire can absorb impact, move laterally in turns, and decreases rolling resistance. If they were solid rubber, they would have very little pliability, would be extremely heavy, and wouldn’t be able to be patched/repaired. I’m sure they would be a great deal more expensive too. Google “tweel” to learn more about alternative to air tires.
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