A rubber balloon was inflated with hydrogen gas. In a few hours, the balloon was observed to be practically deflated. What has happened? Remember the pressure inside the balloon is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
I think it is that hydrogen is lighter than the air outside the balloon which causes the hydrogen to become diffused out of the balloon more quickly. Is that even remotely correct?
2007-05-01 13:28:45 · 4 answers · asked by v. 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Perhaps the correct answer is that Boyle's law applies. Since it is indirect, as pressure increases, volume decreases.
However, this is just an assumption.
2007-05-01 13:33:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If it is a rubber ballon it is hard to understand how the pressure inside the balloon is equal to atmospheric pressure. Usually you have to blow pretty hard to get a balloon to inflate.
But leaving that question aside, when rubber is stretched that way, it is not perfectly solid. There are microscopic holes that are in the rubber material. Even air that is in the balloon will diffuse out because of the pressure of the inside of the balloon, but Hydrogen will diffuse out much faster because of its size. Air is mainly made of diatomic Nitrogen and Oxygen. A pair of oxygen atoms weighs 32, a pair of Nitrogen atoms weighs 28. a pair of Hydrogen atoms weighs only 2. So, Hydrogen atoms move around much more quickly and can fit through much smaller spaces.
2007-05-01 14:09:05 · answer #2 · answered by matt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if the balloon deflated it is probably due to the temperature not what is around it. But since this is hydrogen it would probably react and ka-boom!, explode. But in this situation it should probably be the temperature, high temp, inflated, low temp, deflated. No the air outside is the same pressure as atmospheric pressure, the air outside the balloon is the atmospheric pressure. So no, the atmospheric pressure could not have caused it. Or because there is small hole or opening.
2007-05-01 13:34:46 · answer #3 · answered by t_nguyen62791 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hydrogen molecules are very very small: a loosely tied knot, or microscopic holes in the balloon surface could have caused the hydrogen to leak out.
2007-05-01 13:40:08 · answer #4 · answered by Jesse 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋