Hot air balloon staying in the air for 24 hours

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of a hot air balloon in the atmosphere over a 24-hour period, specifically whether it would travel around the world during that time. The scope includes conceptual reasoning about atmospheric motion and the Earth's rotation.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if a hot air balloon would travel around the world if it remained airborne for 24 hours.
  • Another participant argues that the atmosphere moves with the Earth, suggesting that the balloon would not travel far from its starting point, despite some variations due to wind.
  • A different participant raises a hypothetical scenario about jumping straight up at the equator, calculating the distance one would land away due to the Earth's rotation, implying that a balloon's movement would be similarly affected.
  • Another participant mentions the historical context of hot air balloon travel, referencing the first around-the-world trip that took nearly 20 days, highlighting the role of high altitude winds.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the balloon's potential travel distance, with some asserting it would remain close to its starting point while others explore the implications of the Earth's rotation and atmospheric dynamics. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the balloon's actual travel behavior.

Contextual Notes

Assumptions about atmospheric conditions, wind effects, and the mechanics of how a hot air balloon interacts with the Earth's rotation are not fully explored or agreed upon.

Gigil50
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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?
 
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Nope. The atmosphere is moving with the earth, not stationary above it, so the balloon will rotate along with everything else on earth, and it will stay near wherever it started (with some variation of course due to winds).
 
Gigil50 said:
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?

The Earth spins at over 1000 mph at the equator.

So if you jumped straight up into the air at the equator and were airborne for 1 second, would you land 1,467 feet away? (5,280 times 1000 divided by 60 seconds times 60 minutes)
 

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