# Does an Airplane get lighter after dinner is served?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-airplane-get-lighter-after-dinner-is-served/604849>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 2, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-airplane-get-lighter-after-dinner-is-served/604849 "2011-12-02T16:03:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-airplane-get-lighter-after-dinner-is-served/604849/41 "2011-12-06T20:26:52Z")

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> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> All that said, the bottom line is clear. I’ll make it all caps to make it stand out:
> 
> EATING A SANDWICH DOES NOT MAKE THE SANDWICH DISAPPEAR. THE WEIGHT OF YOU AND THE SANDWICH TOGETHER IS THE SAME, WHETHER THE SANDWICH IS IN YOUR HAND OR IN YOUR TUMMY.

Does that mean you can have your cake and eat it too?

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**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-airplane-get-lighter-after-dinner-is-served/604849/42 "2011-12-06T20:32:35Z")

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> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> This still would be a great Mythbusters experiment. Get a plane in a hanger and on a scale. Fill with at least 150 people and stock the galley. Serve dinner and watch movies for a few hours. A few people will visit the planes restroom. See what the scale shows.

I disagree; there’s no explosions, firearms, or impaired driving.

> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> All that said, the bottom line is clear. I’ll make it all caps to make it stand out:
> 
> EATING A SANDWICH DOES NOT MAKE THE SANDWICH DISAPPEAR. THE WEIGHT OF YOU AND THE SANDWICH TOGETHER IS THE SAME, WHETHER THE SANDWICH IS IN YOUR HAND OR IN YOUR TUMMY.

What a light touch! You should be a surgeon.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-airplane-get-lighter-after-dinner-is-served/604849/43 "2011-12-06T20:51:12Z")

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My original confusion was how digestion effects food you’ve eaten. I know nutrients are absorbed in the digestive tract. If you suck on a lifesaver long enough it turns to a liquid mixed with your saliva. A lot of foods dissolve either in the mouth or in the stomach acids.

I originally thought there might be a reduction in the foods weight after digestion. But, apparently there isn’t.

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-airplane-get-lighter-after-dinner-is-served/604849/44 "2011-12-06T21:26:39Z")

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Since dinner is usually served in the evening, the obvious answer is that the plane doesn’t get lighter-it gets _darker_.

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