How many gel balloons does it take to lift a person. How to put up a poster with helium balloons. How much can a balloon lift
We have all seen them with our own eyes or in pictures - huge colored balls rising higher and higher into the blue sky. Then they turned into a small speck, and then disappeared altogether. They seem so clean - what could be cleaner than heated fresh air, right?
But earlier balloons were much more unusual. In June 1783, the brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier were the first to experiment with balloons. They noticed that the smoke was rising, so they took a handful of raw straw and wool, set it on fire and filled a ball with a diameter of 10 m, made of canvas and pasted over with paper, with black, acrid and suffocating smoke. The experiment went well - the balloon took off.
A few months later, in September, the brothers showed even greater ingenuity.
They both went to Versailles to demonstrate their invention to the King and Queen of France. For some reason, they decided to throw old shoes and rotten meat into the fire of straw and wool - a great idea! The smell was so terrible that the king and queen, who came closer to admire the curiosity, immediately took to their heels - royally, without losing dignity.
However, no one provided the passengers of the balloon with such an opportunity. The Montgolfier brothers tied a duck, a rooster and a sheep to a terrible-smelling ball and sent them flying. Luckily, everyone landed unharmed.
Balloons raise scientific instruments to a height of up to 40,000 m (this is 4 times higher than passenger planes fly). Then the balloon bursts due too low pressure, and the instruments begin to fall down, taking the necessary readings along the way.
In November, the brothers' balloon lifted two people into the air, balancing on opposite ends of a wicker basket of wicker. These people tossed straw into the hot blazing furnace above their heads. Surprisingly, the brothers themselves preferred to remain on earth. Modern balloons are much safer and, of course, much less smelly. Propane burners heat gases in a balloon above them. Hot air is used in modern balloons, and a mixture of helium and hot air is used for long-distance record flights. Helium is the second lightest element in the universe (watch what happens to a child's helium-filled balloon if you let it go).
Many will ask, why not use the lightest element - hydrogen - in a balloon? This is sometimes done, but hydrogen is very flammable and explosive. (This was the cause of the death of the German airship Hindenburg, filled with hydrogen, which ignited and instantly burned to the ground in New Jersey in 1937. You can also think of the American reusable spacecraft Challenger, which crashed due to an explosion of hydrogen fuel.)
A balloon floats on air because the gases that fill it weigh less than the air that surrounds it. But how can a ball of plastic or silk filled with air weigh less than the air around it? It's very simple: the gas expands when heated. Thus, a liter of hot air contains fewer molecules than a liter of denser cold air, which means that a hot air balloon weighs less than cold air. Thanks to this difference, the balloon flies!
The ancient Greek scientist Archimedes deduced the following law: any body immersed in a liquid or floating in air is subject to a buoyant force directed upwards and equal to the weight of the liquid or air displaced by it. If this force is greater than the weight of the body, then the body floats; if less, the body sinks.
To see this principle in action, let's try to drown a balloon of air in a bucket of water. Since the air balloon weighs less than the same volume of water, the balloon floats.
There are hot air ballooning enthusiasts all over the world and they can offer hot air balloon trips, both for money and for volunteering to help their ground crew. If you have already tasted the delights of such flights and now want to pull the lines and light the burner yourself while traveling solo, then first you need to take a course of training and certification. Knowing how a hot air balloon works will give you an edge and help you decide if this hobby is right for you.
Steps
Part 1
Basics- Everyone who is in the basket should keep in mind that the balloon can land in mud or hard-to-reach terrain, and therefore the clothes and shoes worn should be as comfortable as possible.
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In order to rise higher, you need to release more propane. To increase the supply of propane to the fire, you need to open the explosion valve on the hose attached to the gas cylinder, which is usually located directly under the burner. The more you open the valve, the more hot air will rush into the balloon and the faster it will rise. .
- Dropping the ballast or any heavy object placed on the sides of the balloon will reduce its overall density and cause it to rise as well. For obvious reasons, this technique is not recommended when flying over populated areas.
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Learning how to stay at a stable height. Like any object that is warmer than its surroundings, the balloon cools down over a long period of time, which causes it to gradually descend. To stay at the same height, you must use one of the tricks:
To lower, open the parachute valve. Remember that the parachute flap is the flap at the top of the envelope. In the normal state, it is hermetically sealed and, in order to open it, you need to pull the red sling, which is called the rupture sling. This allows hot air to escape through the top. Keep the line taut until the ball drops to the correct mark. Then, release it and the flap will close again.
We control the direction of decline or rise. It is impossible to directly influence the direction of the movement of balloons. There are several air currents that are layered one on top of the other. Raise or lower the ball, catching different cross-flows of air, and it will change direction. Pilots are often forced to change the route of their movement, adjusting to the desired air flow.
Check the strength of the wind. Knowing when to cancel a flight is a very important factor in pilot training. Flight at strong wind extremely dangerous and prohibited. Beginners must follow simple rule: fly either in the first hours after sunrise, or a few hours before sunset, when the wind direction is more predictable and its speed is low.
Check for life support items. The basket should contain at least: a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, topographic map, an aviation chart, an altimeter (a device for measuring altitude) and a flight log in which the pilot records all the details of the flight. Check the propane tank sensor. You need to be sure that they have enough fuel to fly - usually about 30 gallons (114 liters) per hour. For long flights, you will also need a radio and possibly electronic navigation equipment.
Fill the balloon to take off. Almost all balloons require the help of several people to get off the ground. First, the burner must be secured to the frame of the basket and positioned to the side of the envelope that is lying on the ground. Raise and straighten the mouth of the envelope, and for ten minutes use a powerful pump to pump in air, which is then heated by a burner. Usually, while the balloon is preparing to fly, the basket on the ground is held by people or tied to a car. When the passengers and the pilot are seated in the basket, the pilot releases a powerful jet of flame from the burner and the ball lifts off the ground.
During the start, you need to be extremely careful. The pilot must be very focused and watch how the envelope is inflated, and the ground crew controls all the lines. Constantly look around in all directions to spot trees or other objects that the ball may stumble upon during takeoff. As soon as you feel the first gust of wind during the ascent, immediately fix your eyes on the obstacle that is located along the take-off course and do not break away from it until the balloon has overcome the obstacle. This helps to quickly fix the deviation from the course and immediately respond to it, accelerating the takeoff.
Study all the weather phenomena in the flight area. To be certified as a balloon pilot, they must pass a meteorology test to understand how temperature, altitude, and humidity interact and influence each other, and what they can tell you about the state of the air. different kinds clouds. Of course, listing everything in this instruction will not work, but a couple of examples can be given:
- Significant changes in wind direction as you ascend or descend are called gusts and require special attention as they can speed up or slow you down. If a strong gust of wind extinguishes the flame of your burner, light it again and, in order to avoid falling, heat the ball as quickly as possible.
- If the balloon reacts slowly to your actions, or you notice that the air is being wasted instead of rushing you up, then you are in an "inversion" - a state in which the higher you rise, the warmer the air around you becomes . You can compensate for the inversion by increasing the amount of heated air or vice versa, by decreasing it, depending on the direction of movement.
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Check the direction and speed of the wind, learn to read the weather map, use this data to get an overall picture of the speed and direction of the air currents. To find out local conditions, spit or spray some shaving cream on the edge of the basket.
We understand why the ball flies. Operating principle balloons very simple. As you heat air or any other gas, it becomes less dense. Just like an air bubble rising in an aquarium, hot air will rise above the denser, colder air that surrounds it. It is worth heating the air in the balloon to the desired temperature, and he himself will be able to lift up both the dome and the basket along with all its contents.
We study the design of the ball. Its device is so simple that you can already easily navigate it, learning the necessary terminology will help you and your team communicate with each other:
We wear protective clothing. The pilot must wear goggles as he will be near the flames. Also, the pilot and crew must wear heavy duty gloves, long sleeves, and long pants made from fabric that is free of nylon, polyester, and other flammable materials.
Lift up any accessory. For example, a congratulatory inscription, a soft toy or a big heart. It looks spectacular, and today we will tell you how it is done and what is needed for such an action.
How much can a balloon lift
Let's calculate the lifting force of such a gift. In another way, it is also called the Archimedean force. The load capacity of helium, which is filled with latex balloons, is 1 kg per 1 m3. That is, one standard 25 cm ball lifts about 4 grams. A metallized ball of the same size will handle a little more - 5 grams. It turns out that in order to lift a thing by 100 grams, you need 25 balls, and for 200, respectively, 50 pieces. For understanding: a small soft toy weighs 200 grams. A flower, streamer or postcard will take a smaller amount. But there is one moment.
Your surprise will not soar for long due to the peculiarities of ordinary helium balloons. After a few hours, the gas gradually escapes and the present no longer flies under the ceiling. Therefore, for such surprises, they take the volume of balls with a margin: on average, 10-20 pieces more. If you are only concerned about the moment itself, the effect of surprise and delight, you can get by with the main amount. And do not forget to weigh the item that you plan to tie in advance in order to clearly understand the weight of the present, which means how many balloons you will have to buy.
Consider the following points:
1. Gift flight is ideal in an enclosed space.
2. In the air, it can be carried away by a gust of wind if a long ribbon is tied.
3. The longer the rope - the more balls will be required to rise to a height.
4. To save money, tie a fishing line to a gift: it is light and reliable.
Where to get helium for balloons
For filling with gas, special cylinders with adapters are sold. You can buy or rent them at any "everything for the holiday" store or at specialized balloon delivery stores.
How to inflate a balloon instead of helium
Some are interested in how to replace this gas at home. Alternatively, hydrogen. You can get it using salt, blue vitriol, water and foil. But this is a very bold decision and we do not recommend resorting to it. If you are a born chemist and want to make an analogue of helium, do it outside, not indoors. Another option is to inflate without helium, with ordinary air. But then the clouds will not fly up.
How much do helium balloons cost
Store prices vary slightly. It depends on the quality of the supplied material, the availability of processing for long flight, the dimensions of the products and other factors. Helium balloons in the online store cost:
- Sets: from 1000 rubles
- Foil figures: from 330 rubles
- Compositions with figurines: from 1599 rubles
- Walking balls: from 499 rubles
- Singing: from 1499 rubles
This is not the whole range, and if you want to clarify how many pieces you need to beautifully lift a gift into the air, go to any suitable website and they will tell you everything there. Or help with this original idea from start to finish. Successful organization of the holiday!
On the video: How many balloons does it take to lift a person into the air?
Sometimes customers ask to inflate the balloons with helium so that they can raise a poster with congratulations a few meters up on the street. Thus, they are trying to congratulate the mothers in the hospital, or, for example, they are trying to draw attention to themselves.
Let's see how this can be done.
Ball calculationAs a poster, let's take a sheet of whatman paper (high-density drawing paper) of A1 format. This is a rectangle with dimensions of 840 x 594 mm. The density of the drawing paper is 200 gr/sq.m. The A1 format has an area of 0.49 square meters, so the weight of an A1 paper sheet will be 100 grams.
A 12 "balloon (Sempertex), inflated with helium to a diameter of 27 cm, has a lifting force of 10 grams. So 10 balloons can lift A1 paper. Let's add 4 more balloons, in reserve (what if it bursts?). In total, we need 14 balloons inflated with helium to a size of 26 - 28 cm.
Poster preparation
If you just hang the drawing paper to the balls, then under the influence of the wind it will begin to bend, twist and the text of the congratulation will not be visible. In order to give strength to the drawing paper, we need to make stiffeners.
Using a ruler and a pencil, mark the sheet as shown in the figure with dotted lines:
The distance between the dotted lines is 5 cm and 2 cm.
Gently and evenly bend the drawing paper along the dotted line, glue the narrow strips to the sheet using double-sided tape or glue. You get the following construction:
On the reverse side, using a marker, write the text of congratulations:
On all four corners of the poster we will make holes necessary for tying balls and lifting ribbons.
Raise the poster
For the upper holes we will tie ribbons with balloons, seven balloons on each side:
For the lower holes we will tie two lifting ribbons, which should be in the hands of the people who launch the poster:
The braid is pitted a little, pulling it in different directions. The balls will pull the poster up, and the lifting band will prevent the poster from spinning. Also, the horizontal position of the poster is controlled with the help of a lifting band.
When the poster is folded to the desired height, the lifting tape is fixed.
The poster will still swing, for example, back and forth. Therefore, to raise the poster with helium balloons, it is necessary to choose calm weather and a small lifting height.
A balloon filled with helium is a great gift for any child. All kids love something unusual and beautiful, and a balloon that flies up by itself fits this description like nothing else. There is only one problem - that they are not very cheap, and you can not buy them in every store. Today we will show you how you can fill a balloon with helium at home!
How to make helium for balloons?
If you decide to conduct such an experiment with children, then try to be extremely careful, because vinegar can greatly harm a young body. For crafts, we need the following materials:
Soda, 5 tablespoons
Vinegar, 0.5 st.
Plastic bottle with a small neck.
Sometimes they add to all the components lemon juice, but in our case it is not.
1. Half a glass of vinegar should be poured into plastic bottle. If using lemon juice, add it at this stage.
2 . Then we need to pour 5 tablespoons of soda into a ball. We can use a watering can for this, if it is at hand.
3. Now we need to very carefully put the ball on the neck of the bottle, and do it so that the soda does not get into the vinegar. And after that, we can raise the ball so that all the soda abruptly spills into the vinegar.
