Calculating Temperature Needed for Hot Air Balloon Lift

In summary, the man in the conversation is looking for the required temperature of the air inside a hot air balloon with a capacity of 10,000 m^3 in order to provide the necessary lift. The ideal gas law and Archimedes' Principle are mentioned as potentially helpful formulas, but there is uncertainty on how to use them in this specific problem. The suggested approach is to keep the volume and pressure of the balloon constant and to use the density of air at 20°C to find an expression for density in terms of temperature. Then, Archimedes' Principle can be applied to find the required temperature of the air inside the balloon.
  • #1
scarlson1193
5
0

Homework Statement



A man wants to go on a hot air balloon trip, and wants to build a balloon with a capacity of 10,000 m^3. The envelope and the balloon have a combined mass of 250 kg. His luggage would be 800 kg. Assume that the ambient air is at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. What must the temperature of the air inside the balloon be to provide the required lift?

Homework Equations



The ideal gas law: P = ρRT

Archimedes' Principle: density of object/density of fluid = weight/weight-apparent immersed weight

The Attempt at a Solution



My lab group is not entirely sure where to start with this. We feel that these two formulas will be useful simply because when we examine other similar problems, they come up, but we aren't sure where to start or how to get our information into these formulas so they will work properly. Can we get some help on where to even begin with this problem?
 
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  • #2
You can take the volume of the balloon constant and also the pressure of air in the balloon equal to the atmospheric pressure.
Find the expression for ρ(T) knowing that the density of air at 20°C is 1.2041 kg/m3,
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_of_air)

and apply Archimedes' Principle. The total weight of the balloon and load and the air in it is equal to the volume of the balloon multiplied with the density of the cold air.

ehild
 

1. How is the temperature needed for hot air balloon lift calculated?

The temperature needed for hot air balloon lift is calculated using the ideal gas law, which states that pressure and volume are directly proportional to temperature.

2. What factors affect the temperature needed for hot air balloon lift?

The temperature needed for hot air balloon lift is affected by the weight of the balloon and its contents, the outside air temperature, and the altitude at which the balloon is flying.

3. Can the temperature needed for hot air balloon lift change during flight?

Yes, the temperature needed for hot air balloon lift can change during flight due to changes in outside air temperature and altitude.

4. How do you adjust the temperature for hot air balloon lift?

The temperature for hot air balloon lift can be adjusted by firing the burners to heat the air inside the balloon, or by venting hot air through the top of the balloon to decrease the temperature.

5. What happens if the temperature needed for hot air balloon lift is not achieved?

If the temperature needed for hot air balloon lift is not achieved, the balloon will not have enough lift to stay afloat and will descend. This can be dangerous and proper temperature control is crucial for safe hot air balloon flights.

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