How do car tires support a vehicle's weight?
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Answer: Air pressure pushes outward against rubber
Air pressure pushes outward against rubber ✓ — Correct! Tires are pressure vessels. Compressed air (30-45 psi) pushes outward in all directions against the flexible rubber. This outward force creates structural rigidity—the air itself, not the rubber, bears the weight. Deflate a tire and the rubber collapses because it's too soft to support anything heavy on its own.
Rubber becomes rigid when inflated — Wrong. Rubber's properties don't change when inflated. The support comes entirely from compressed air pushing outward. Rubber just contains the air—it's the pressure inside that does the work.
Air chemically bonds with the rubber — Wrong. No chemical bonding occurs. Air molecules simply bounce around inside the tire, creating pressure that pushes equally in all directions. This outward force against the rubber is what provides structural support.