why does rubber prevent water from leaking?

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Everything that is advertised as water resistant has rubber gaskets that stop the water from entering. Is there a limitation for how much they can withstand? Can dust or hair compromise the seal?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Rubber is flexible. So when you press it into a surface it will take the shape of that surface. This means there is no room between the rubber seal and the surface for water to flow through. This is what makes it water tight. Obviously there is a limit. The rubber is not perfectly flexible and might not be able to match the shape of the surface. It helps if you apply the rubber as a compound before it hardens. But you can still get small gaps between the rubber and the surface. If the surface is uneven this is a bigger issue, and debris like dust and hair will compromise it as well as it opens up gaps for water to flow through. And if there is enough water pressure it can actually deform the rubber and either push it out of place or push it out of shape so it does not match the surface any longer.

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