system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why didn't the leak in the ISS vent all the air immediately?

I assumed that because there's no air in space, and lots in the ISS, it would shoot out incredibly fast. Is my assumption just plain wrong or is there more at play?
gpt
The mass flow rate is related to the differential pressure and the geometry of the opening. In this case the differential pressure is low (14.7 psi) and the opening was fairly small. 

Catastrophic failure can occur if the jet velocity has enough energy to make the opening larger by wearing away or deflecting the material.  In that case you have a chain reaction.