What is Balloon: Definition and 481 Discussions

A balloon is a flexible bag that can be inflated with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and air. For special tasks, balloons can be filled with smoke, liquid water, granular media (e.g. sand, flour or rice), or light sources. Modern day balloons are made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, and can come in many different colors. Some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig bladder. Some balloons are used for decorative purposes or entertaining purposes, while others are used for practical purposes such as meteorology, medical treatment, military defense, or transportation. A balloon's properties, including its low density and low cost, have led to a wide range of applications.
The rubber balloon was invented by Michael Faraday in 1824, during experiments with various gases. He invented them for use in the lab.

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  1. I

    Calculating balloon neutral boyancy

    Hi, I'm having quite a time figuring out this problem. I have a weather balloon (well, a choice of several) and a payload of about 2kg. Most people release balloons like this such that they keep climbing until they pop, however I'd like to calculate how much to fill the balloon such that it...
  2. T

    Fluid Mechanics of a balloon

    Homework Statement A helium filled balloon is tied to a 2 m long uniform string of mass 0.05 kg.The balloon is spherical with a radius of 0.4 m. When released it lifts a length h of the string off of the ground. Find the length h given that the balloon has a mass of 0.25 kg. Homework...
  3. T

    How far would a helium balloon rise if it never burst

    If you released a balloon filled with helium, how high would it go if it never burst from the pressure change?
  4. T

    Can you send video over audio for space balloon project

    I am working on a space balloon project and I wanted to send video, or pictures, back to Earth via walki talki. I wanted to know if this would work; I connect a composite video cable from a camera to the wires of one of the walki talki's microphone wires. Then on the other end take the wires...
  5. S

    What is the Velocity of the Balloon When a Man Moves Up a Ladder Attached to It?

    Homework Statement It says that "a man of mass m is standing on a ladder attached to the rope of a balloon of mass M (weight of the ladder and rope can be neglected). The balloon is in a static position. Now the man starts moving upwards through the ladder with a velocity v with respect to the...
  6. E

    Solving a Balloon Mass Calculation: Find Minimum Gas Mass Needed

    Homework Statement A balloon contains gas of density pg and is to lift a mass M, including the balloon but not the gas. Show that the minimum mass of gas required is m= Mp / (pa - pg). Where pa is Atmospheric density Homework Equations I assume fluid motion so P= Po + p*h*g Also...
  7. A

    Related Rates air in a balloon

    Homework Statement Air is being pumped into a spherical balloon so that its volume increases at a rate of 70 cm3/s. How fast is the surface area of the balloon increasing when its radius is 5 cm3?Homework Equations A ball with radius r has the following volume (V) and surface area (S): V =...
  8. B

    Mars balloon , forces, pressure

    Homework Statement We have a balloon that is need to stay buoyant in Mars atmosphere, to make it hover. Density given for Mars's atmosphere is 0,0154 kg/m^3. Let's assume that we have to make balloons out of thin firm plastic, with surface density of 5 g/m^2. Balloons would be inflated with...
  9. M

    Why is aluminum foil attracted to a charged balloon just like paper?

    Homework Statement I have a basic understanding of electrostatics. I know that when I rub a balloon with wool, both the wool and the balloon will become charged. I know that if I bring my charged balloon near neutral paper, the paper will be attracted because of charge polarization. I thought...
  10. 2

    Calculating Buoyant Force of Balloon System

    Homework Statement A hot air balloon experiences an acceleration of 110 m/s2 [down]. The total mass of the balloon is 315kg What is the buoyant force of the system? aballoon = 110m/s2 agravity = 9.8m/s2 mtotal = 315Homework Equations Fgravity = 315 * 9.8 = 3087 Fnet = 315 * 110 = 34650The...
  11. ThomasMagnus

    Helicopter carrying a water balloon

    Homework Statement A helicopter accelerates horizontally while carrying a 220kg water balloon by a rope. a)Draw a free-body diagram of the water balloon. (ignore air resistance.) b) Find the magnitude and direction of the helicopter's acceleration.The Attempt at a Solution a) b) To find...
  12. C

    Balloon Elevation: Will Wind Affect Their Flight Time?

    If you have 2 balloons made out of the same material, filled with the same type and quantity of gas, caring the exact same pay load. They are both in the same temperature and humidity air. You let them both go at the exact same time. 1 being acted on by prevailing winds that change speed and...
  13. C

    How Much Weight Can a 20.0 m³ Meteorological Balloon Lift?

    Homework Statement A meteorological balloon has volume of 20.0 m3 and a weight of 10.5 kg (gas included). The density of the air is 1.18 kg/m3 and acceleration of gravity 9.81 m/s2 Homework Equations What amount of cargo in kg can the balloon lift? The Attempt at a Solution Can...
  14. C

    Helium Balloon Problem: Understanding Acceleration & Wind Effects | Klockan3

    Not sure if I understand why the helium-filled balloon hovering in a closed train car, upon acceleration of the train, "will fly forward inside the train car till it hits the front, it won't touch the back of it at all." - quoted from klockan3 I believe the problem ignores wind effects. I...
  15. B

    Estimating Air Mass Inside Hot Air Balloon

    Homework Statement Estimate the average temperature of the air inside a hot air balloon. Assume that the total mass of the unfilled balloon and payload is 500kg. what is the mass of the air inside the balloon? No volume or radius is given, so I estimated V = 2800 m^3 & r = 8.75 m...
  16. M

    Balloon within a balloon question

    I am curious, last night we had a discussion about the “what if”. Maybe someone on this board can answer. Here is the scenario. In a spaceship you have 2 balloons. One is fill with a liquid, connected to a a liquid tank with a tube and inserted into another, that is fill with air. As you...
  17. I

    Balloon problem, thermodynamics

    Homework Statement A helium balloon is used to lift a load of 110 N. The weight of the balloon's skin is 50 N, and the volume of the balloon when fully inflated is 32 m3. The temperature of the air is 0°C and the atmospheric pressure is 1 atm. The balloon is inflated with sufficient helium...
  18. R

    Calculating Drag on a Weather Balloon at 4m/s

    Hi, I am trying to caculate the aerodynamic drag on a weather balloon that's climbing through the atmosphere. Of course, the velocity is very low here, about 4m/s. Such a balloon is an almost perfect sphere. So I am trying to fill in the drag equation, but I still have two unknown...
  19. O

    How fast does the balloon accelerate upwards?

    Homework Statement your team is in charge of launching a large helium weather balloon that is spherical in shape, and whose radius is 3.0 m and total mass is 17.5 kg (balloon plus helium plus equipment). (a) What is the initial upward acceleration of the balloon when it is released from...
  20. R

    Weather Ballon with Camera/GPS payload. 1x600g or 2x600g balloon for lift?

    Hi I am starting a project and will be inflating a 900g Kaymount weather balloon with a payload that consists of a styrofoam box inside of that will be a SPOT personal gps tracker, Camera and a Flip HD camcorder. I purchased 2 of the 600g balloons. I will do this by filling one up and attatching...
  21. A

    Hot air balloon - Ideal gas law

    Homework Statement Estimate the required temperature of the air inside a (rigid) balloon in order for it to achieve lift off. Volume 2000m3 \summass, mtot=920kg Homework Equations pV=NkT p=\frac{Force}{Area} \rho=\frac{m}{V} The Attempt at a Solution We require Fup>(mair+mtot)g (assume...
  22. T

    Man and Balloon: What Happens?

    Homework Statement A balloon of mass 100kg is stationary at a height of 100m. A man standing on a rope ladder hung from the balloon then climbs up with a velocity of 0.3m/s relative to the rope. If the man is of mass 50 kg, what happens to the balloon? (ie, it goes up/down with some...
  23. V

    Man in a Balloon Homework: Velocity & Movement

    Homework Statement a man with mass m hangs from a rope from an air baloon with mass M. the air baloon is not moving with respect t the ground. In what direction and what is the magnitude of the velocity to the balloon if the man starts climping the rope with a velocity v with respect to the...
  24. K

    How can I calculate the lift of a helium balloon?

    Say I want to send a helium balloon into the sky. For all intents and purposes this balloon is circular, with volume V. I will fill it with helium to the same pressure as the air outside it (I assume that this is important). The weight of the balloon and the payload is W. So, I assume I have...
  25. S

    Taking picture of stars from weather balloon

    I'm a high school physics teacher and my students are building a science payload to launch on a weather balloon. You can look http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=458390&challengeid=39361" to see some project details and even donate a couple bucks to help make the project a...
  26. N

    Build a balloon powered vehicle

    Im not sure where to post this thread, so its ok if you move it. But anyways, for extra credit in physics ( and i need these points really bad) we have to create a balloon powered vehicle. In other words as air is released from the balloon, it propels the vehicle forward. I need mine to go the...
  27. I

    Comparing Beta: Baseball vs Balloon on a Slinky

    Homework Statement Does a baseball on a slinky have a smaller Beta, or balloon on a slinky? Explain. Homework Equations Beta = b/sqrt(mk) b: damping coefficient m: mass k: spring constant The Attempt at a Solution I see that the spring constant k is the same for either...
  28. Z

    Does Heating a Balloon Affect its Surface Energy?

    Homework Statement What will happen to the surface energy of a balloon when the air inside it is heated at a constant pressure? The Attempt at a Solution I don't understand how will a balloon have surface energy. What is its origin? Is it due to the elastic forces of the stretched...
  29. G

    Hot air balloon staying in the air for 24 hours

    If there is a hot air balloon and it flies into the air and stays there after 24 hours will the balloon have gone around the world once?
  30. C

    Buoyant force on a balloon is equal to the mass of air it displaces

    Homework Statement The buoyant force on a balloon is equal to the mass of air it displaces. The gravitational force on the balloon is equal to the sum of the masses of the balloon, the gas it contains, and the balloonist. If the balloon and balloonist together weight 175 kg, what would the...
  31. K

    Hang-glider and water balloon problem

    Homework Statement A hang-glider, diving at an angle of 57.0o with the vertical, drops a water balloon at an altitude of 680.0 m. The water balloon hits the ground 5.20 s after being released. a. What was the velocity of the hang-glider? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution...
  32. G

    What is the best design for a parachute to deploy after a weather balloon pops?

    Hey, I am building a weather balloon with a small payload that will ascend to approximately 105,000 feet, pop, and then fall to the ground. I am having trouble coming up with a design for a parachute that will deploy after the balloon pops. There is obviously less air at that altitude, so if...
  33. S

    Hot-air balloon (kinematics question)

    Homework Statement A hot-air balloon is rising upward with a constant velocity of 4.0 m/s. As the balloon reaches a height of 4.0 m above the ground, the balloonist accidentally drops a can of pop over the edge of the basket. How long does it take for the pop can to reach the ground...
  34. W

    Ideal Gas law and a hot air balloon problem

    My physics problem is as following, Estimate the average temperature of the air inside a hot air balloon. Assume that the total mass of the unfilled balloon and payload is 500kg. what is the mass of the air inside the balloon? we are told to use a radius of 15m Equations needed density = m/V...
  35. D

    Calculating Building Height Using Balloon Drop Experiment

    Homework Statement you and your friend throw balloons filled with water of a roof of a building. You drop yours from rest, he throws his with an initial speed of 72.52 m/s^2 3.7 seconds later. They hit at the same time. How high his the building. Homework Equations V=Vi+at (V^2) -...
  36. S

    Kinematics in one dimension - hot air balloon and bullet

    Homework Statement A hot air balloon is ascending straight up at a constant speed of 8.10 m/s. When the balloon is 13.0 m above the ground, a gun fires a pellet straight up from ground level with an initial speed of 28.0 m/s. Along the paths of the balloon and the pellet, there are two...
  37. S

    Mass a helium balloon can overcome

    Homework Statement The question states "What mass can the balloon lift at sea level where the density of air is 1.22 kg / m^3".. Extra information given are, use of ideal gas equation is needed, which is pV = nRT where p is pressure, V is volume, n is number of moles, R is constant...
  38. G

    Hot air balloon thermodynamics

    In hot air balloons the air inside the envelope stays at atmospheric pressure because of the hole in the bottom and the volume of the envelope is essentially constant. Yet in order to raise the balloon it must be heated which increases the its temperature. If the temperature increases how does...
  39. S

    Produce harmless gas to inflate a rubber balloon

    Hi to all I am new to this forum. I need some help. I want a chemical reaction which produces a harmless gas with the use of small amount of reactants. Thanks Shashank
  40. J

    The number of Helium atoms in the balloon

    A balloon contains 0.40 mol of helium at 300K. calculate 1/ The number of Helium atoms in the balloon 2/ The average kinetic energy of the helium atom in the balloon 3/ The total kinetic energy of the helium atoms in the balloon I am having a lot of difficulties to manage the ideal...
  41. P

    Find the radius of the balloon

    Homework Statement Estimate the radius of a helium filled balloon if a load of 180 kg (including the weight of the empty balloon) is to be lifted. Density of helium is 0.179 kg/m^3 Homework Equations F=rho*g*V The Attempt at a Solution F=\rhogV r=3.22m
  42. J

    Calculating Helium Balloon Buoyancy Force at Launch and 2km Altitude

    Homework Statement A helium meteorological balloon is made of a bag of impervious fabric that does not stretch, and when fully inflated forms a spherical shell of 1m diameter enclosing the He. At launch it is filled with He (at STP) to 15% capacity. The launch takes place in the Antarctic, in...
  43. B

    Balloon Problem: Solving for Radius Change due to Air Loss at 36π cu. in.

    A punctured balloon, in the shape of a sphere, is losing air at the rate of 2 in.3/sec. At the moment that the balloon has volume 36π cubic inches, how is the radius changing? I got dr/dt = -1/18π in/sec. Is that correct?
  44. I

    What is the ascension rate of a gas balloon without air friction?

    I have calculated that my gas balloon's ascension rate is 13.49031149 m/s^2 WITHOUT air friction. Ignore wind and let's say ground air density is 1.2 kg/m^3 at 20 °C. The shape of the balloon will be a cylinder with rounded ends. The top end will have a 4 meter diameter so the area of that is...
  45. I

    Calculating Ascension Rate of a Helium Balloon

    How do I find the accelerating ascension rate of my helium balloon? Ignore factors such as the increase of volume as it ascends, temperature, wind etc. I just want the basic ascension rate of ideal non changing conditions. rho_f Outside air density - I think typical air density is this - 1.2...
  46. I

    How Is the Ascension Rate of a Helium Balloon Calculated?

    How do I find the accelerating ascension rate of my helium balloon? Ignore factors such as the increase of volume as it ascends, temperature, wind etc. I just want the basic ascension rate of ideal non changing conditions. rho_f Outside air density - I think typical air density is this - 1.2...
  47. R

    Water Balloon Trebuchet/catapolt Physics Problems

    Hello, This is my first post and I hope it's not incorrectly placed... Recently I made the naive decission to design a water balloon trebuchet as a pet project. Furthermore, I wanted to calculate the exact specifications of the design ( counterweight, arm lengths, ect.) using only the...
  48. F

    Calculating Acceleration of Buoyancy Balloon Carrying 140kg

    Hi i have this question: A balloon is filled with helium gas which weighs approximately one-seventh of what air weighs under identical conditions. The balloon has a diameter of 10 m and carries two people, each weighing 70 kg. Assume the density of air is 1.16 kg/m3 and neglect the weight of...
  49. J

    Volume of Balloon at 23K and 299K

    Homework Statement Imagine that 9.9 g of liquid helium, initially at 4.20 K, evaporate into an empty balloon that is kept at 1.00-atm pressure. What is the volume of the ballonat the following? (a) 23.0 K(b) 299 K Homework Equations PV=nRTThe Attempt at a Solution I converted th 9.9g of...
  50. J

    Calculating Volume of Helium Balloon at Different Temperatures

    Question from my homework. I'm not exactly sure what I am doing wrong, and it is bugging me. I hope this post is in the right forum. Imagine that 9.9 g of liquid helium, initially at 4.20 K, evaporate into an empty balloon that is kept at 1.00-atm pressure. What is the volume of the balloon at...
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