I had a balloon filled with helium and I accidentally let go and it flew away,but the one I just blew up will not fly up in the air?
2007-03-26 13:59:17 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Helium is lighter than air. Oxygen is heavier.
2007-03-26 14:02:10 · answer #1 · answered by mathematician 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The one you just blew up isn't full of oxygen because your exhaled breath isn't very full of oxygen. However, the helium balloon is filled with a gas that is lighter in weight than the average air molecules. So the inside of the balloon is less dense than the air and the balloon floats. When you exhale, your breath is much closer to the density of the air.
2007-03-26 14:04:10 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just wanted to thank hammerth for clearing that up. It was driving me insane that so many were not giving accurate info.
I might also add that breath has a little bit of water vapor as well which can be observed on a cold day when you breath on a mirror and fog it up.
As everyone else has already added the balloon containing Helium is lighter than the atmosphere surrounding it causing it to float upwards. The balloon with your breath in it is very slightly heavier than the atmosphere surrounding it casing it to float down to earth.
2007-03-26 19:11:51 · answer #3 · answered by Corestar 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Helium is lighter than oxygen so if you let a balloon full of oxygen go it will not fly away because it is to heavy to support its own weight. Helium on the other hand is to LIGHT to support its own weight. So helium will fly away and oxygen will not because of its scientifical weight differences. Finally, oxygen contains carbon dioxide and helium has smaller atomic mass which makes it more lighter!
2007-03-26 14:10:35 · answer #4 · answered by Tweety G 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you used regular air to fill up the one that did not fly away, then the air inside is just as dense as the air surrounding it, so, the plastic balloon weighs it down to the ground. However, helium is less dense than air, so it lifts the latex balloon up high.
2007-03-26 14:11:58 · answer #5 · answered by dfdtwb 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
helium is lighter than oxygen... the air is all oxygen, so the oxygen filled balloon is full of the same substance. meaning, it wouldnt go anywhere if not for the weight of the rubber balloon.
2007-03-26 14:07:48 · answer #6 · answered by itskatyo 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Helium is less dense than air. It fills the same volume with less mass, so gravity pulls on it with less force. This causes the atmosphere to sink around the balloon, displacing it and therefore pushing it upwards.
2007-03-26 14:05:58 · answer #7 · answered by bostoncrabcake 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
try filling the balloon with hot air. It will Fly as well! It is the same principle of those balloons you see people flying around. The inject hot air inside, since hot air tends to go up, the ballon will go along with it!
2007-03-26 14:05:34 · answer #8 · answered by cfernandomaciel 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I just want to correct one of the answers above who used their "years of college" to say that we don't exhale oxygen, we exhale carbon dioxide.
Correction: We DO exhale oxygen. In fact, we exhale more oxygen than carbon dioxide. Atmospheric air is about 71% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, very small % carbon dioxide and other gases like water. What we exhale is a smaller % of oxygen and a larger % carbon dioxide than atmospheric air, but there is still more oxygen than carbon dioxide in exhaled air.
Bringing us to the question, helium is the second lightest element, so it is less dense than the atmosphere, hence it floats in the air.
2007-03-26 15:10:57 · answer #9 · answered by hammerthumbs 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For one it's not oxygen that you (or any other living creature for that matter) are exhaling. It is Carbon dioxide. Helium has a smaller atomic mass therefore making it lighter.
2007-03-26 14:09:23 · answer #10 · answered by lowest priced lobotomy always... 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋