HOW HIGH CAN YOU FLY?
Remember the first helium balloon you lost? It slipped out of your hand and up it went… up… up… up… until it was out of sight. A child’s first lesson in physics the hard way! But how high did the balloon really go? The National Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas has provided the answer. That little balloon climbs to a height of 18,000 feet. At that height, the helium inside has expanded to 80% of its original volume. This is usually the limit of expansion for the small latex surface. The balloon bursts! But there is a way around this unfortunate phenomenon. Specially designed experimental balloons can go considerably higher than their common cousins. The reason? They are designed ducts to vent the expanding pressure of the gas as the balloon rises. This balloon can rise to a height of 120,000 feet. So what’s the difference? One has limited ability to expand; the other is designed to expand…
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