Punctures?

Punctures?

• A. Occur when gas leaks from a valve.
• B. Occur when the container wall is punctured by an external object that pushes through.
• C. Occur when internal pressure drops to zero.
• D. Occur when a container is designed with a fail-safe vent.

Answer: (B)

Punctures happen when an external object penetrates the container wall, creating a hole that breaches containment and lets the contents escape directly through the wall. This is different from a leak through a valve, which is a seal or connection issue rather than a wall breach. It’s not about internal pressure dropping to zero—nor does a vented design cause a puncture; a fail-safe vent is meant to relieve pressure to prevent rupture, not to create a hole in the wall. So the description that the wall is punctured by an external object is the one that matches this failure mode.

Punctures happen when an external object penetrates the container wall, creating a hole that breaches containment and lets the contents escape directly through the wall. This is different from a leak through a valve, which is a seal or connection issue rather than a wall breach. It’s not about internal pressure dropping to zero—nor does a vented design cause a puncture; a fail-safe vent is meant to relieve pressure to prevent rupture, not to create a hole in the wall. So the description that the wall is punctured by an external object is the one that matches this failure mode.