I’m curious about the physics mostly.
Some bags (I’m looking at you, Costco tortilla strips!) are ridiculously loud. Physically, is it flat areas snapping causing the sound? It seems like bags with different internal coatings have different effects on the volume.
In: Physics
Some packaging materials will crumple in sudden loud ways when they’re flexed, pushing a pressure wave through the air to your ears.
The most infamous example is the “compostable” [SunChips bags](https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2010/10/06/130382547/noise-from-consumers-prompts-sunchips-to-go-back-to-traditional-packaging) that led to jokes and consumer backlash.
It’s not too different from the physics of loud cicada insects that cause hearing damage at close range, just from *buckling* a series of “ribs” in a special organ they evolved.
The bag manufacturer has to choose materials that keep the chips fresh and crisp, while also being environmentally responsible. It’s up to them to run tests on issues like noise, that affect sales.
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