Eli5 Why do tires use air instead of solid rubber all the wsy?

Question

Wouldnt a solid rubber tire do the same job with no risk of punctures?

In: 296

Answer 1

A great in-person experiment to learn about this requires a solid ball like a medicine ball, an air filled ball like a kickball or yoga ball, and a friend with a baseball bat.

Hold the solid ball and hit it with the bat, then hold the air-filled ball and hit it with the bat and compare how your arms feel afterwards.

Both types of tires have their purposes, but the air filled ones feel much more pleasant to interact with when you meet things like bumpy roads or baseball bats.