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tackyattack
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If you released a helium balloon and if it never popped how high would it rise?
turbo said:It would rise until the density of the balloon and contents equaled the density of the surrounding air that the balloon displaces. You may want to review "buoyancy" to see why this is so.
No, the Earth's atmosphere gets thinner and thinner as altitude increases, with no real "top" to speak of. The balloon would rise until the mass of the balloon and the gas inside equal the mass of the volume of atmosphere that the balloon displaces.tackyattack said:So would that be about the top of the Earth's atmosphere?
tackyattack said:So would that be about the top of the Earth's atmosphere?
Dr_Morbius said:If the skin of the balloon could expand infinitely the balloon would theoretically rise forever.
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if, theoretically, the Earth's atmosphere extended to infinity getting thinner and thinner the balloon would rise to infinity. Theoretically of course.
The buoyancy of a helium balloon is affected by altitude due to the change in air density. As the balloon rises, the air density decreases, causing the helium to expand and increasing its buoyancy. This allows the balloon to rise higher until it reaches an equilibrium point where the buoyancy force is equal to the weight of the balloon.
The maximum height a helium balloon can reach before popping depends on several factors, including the amount of helium in the balloon, the strength of the balloon material, and the temperature and pressure of the surrounding air. Generally, a helium balloon can rise to an altitude of about 30,000-40,000 feet before it pops due to the decreased air pressure causing the balloon to expand and eventually burst.
There is no theoretical limit to how high a helium balloon can rise. However, the higher the balloon goes, the lower the air pressure becomes, causing the balloon to expand and eventually pop. Additionally, as the balloon rises, the temperature decreases and can cause the helium to condense, reducing its buoyancy and limiting the balloon's ascent.
The time it takes for a helium balloon to reach its maximum height depends on various factors such as the amount of helium in the balloon, the size and weight of the balloon, and the atmospheric conditions. On average, it takes a helium balloon about 2-3 hours to reach its maximum height before popping.
After a helium balloon pops, the helium gas inside will quickly escape into the surrounding air. The balloon material will then fall back to the ground, where it will decompose over time. The helium gas will eventually dissipate into the atmosphere, as it is a naturally occurring gas and does not harm the environment.