Question: Helium in space

[MDCmotorsports]

We all know that helium is lighter than air.

And a helium balloon rises due to the fact its lighter than the air around it, and it reacts in the opposite direction of gravity - it goes up.

What happens when you put that same balloon in an air enviroment, but with zero gravity?

 

[Ckanderson]

would sink due to the weight of the ballon?

 

[lagged]

well its not reacting opposite to gravity, per se. it rises because of the same reason and air bubble would rise to the surface of a body of water.

forget the fact that eventually the balloon would pop due to the decreased air pressure the higher the balloon rises, if the balloon was able to survive that, it would only rise so high. it depends on the concentration of other gasses at a given altitude.

i do not know what the make up of the upper atmosphere is though so i couldnt say where it would stop rising.

once a gas is released, it expands as quickly as possible in all directions in order to reach an equilibrium with the other surrounding gasses.

so, in a zero gravity environment with | 1 bar | of air pressure, i suppose the balloon would just stay where ever you put it.

 

[exander]

would sink due to the weight of the ballon?

It couldn't possibly sink, weight is only the amount of gravitational pull on a subject, thus the balloon would just hover around only moving by an outside current.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

well its not reacting opposite to gravity, per se. it rises because of the same reason and air bubble would rise to the surface of a body of water.

forget the fact that eventually the balloon would pop due to the decreased air pressure the higher the balloon rises, if the balloon was able to survive that, it would only rise so high. it depends on the concentration of other gasses at a given altitude.

i do not know what the make up of the upper atmosphere is though so i couldnt say where it would stop rising.

once a gas is released, it expands as quickly as possible in all directions in order to reach an equilibrium with the other surrounding gasses.

so, in a zero gravity environment with | 1 bar | of air pressure, i suppose the balloon would just stay where ever you put it.

Thats just it... helium balloon inside the space shuttle. Its lighter than air, but with no gravity to react to, where would it go?

 

[RacerXJ220]

Thats just it... helium balloon inside the space shuttle. Its lighter than air, but with no gravity to react to, where would it go?

It would go to where the air around it is less dense. It wouldn't go, up, down, or anyother way in zero gravity. Gravity causes the air to be more dense near the surface of the earth, but once you release those balloons into the air, they only go up so far. Once the outside air becomes as dense as the helium inside the balloon the balloon will no longer gain elevation.

 

[RacerXJ220]

It would be like a normal bouncing ball in zero gravity.

 

[DreamerTheresa]

It would go where ever Jesus told it to go.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

It would go where ever Jesus told it to go.

Oh come on now evil one, why did you have to say that? :icon_conf :nono:

 

[Tanya]

wow, too thoughtful of a thread at midnight


ask me again at 10am tomorrow :x

 

[suprasport91]

Like anything with mass acts in a zero gravity environment ( wchich is partially farse, as there is a given gravity from other objects in a space shuttle) it will move perpetually in the same direction it was initially moved, however, balloons function becuase of the difference of pressure outside/inside the ballon, the pressure in space is nearly zero so the ballon may pop....( depending on the stress capacioty of the material and thoe forces acting on it)
* just realized teh first post siad "air environment" therefore reffereing to a nitrogen envirnment, where the ballon would rise still as helium is a much "lighter" gas than nitrogenous "air", gravity actually interferes with the ballon rising, ( On earth the helium must first overcome the weight of the ballon before it rises, in a zero* gravity environment it does not need to overcome that barrier ( as his post said in an "air" environment

 

[Doward]

Density.

That's all it is. Helium 'floats' in the sea of fluid surrounding the Earth.

 

[Allan_MA70]

It would go where ever Jesus told it to go.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to DreamerTheresa again.

The zero pressure outside would cause it to burst I would say

 

[lagged]

so, in a zero gravity environment with | 1 bar | of air pressure, i suppose the balloon would just stay where ever you put it.

 

[DreamerTheresa]

Oh come on now evil one, why did you have to say that? :icon_conf :nono:

Because it's been a while since I've started shit around this bitch.


Sorry you had to be the victim.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

Because it's been a while since I've started shit around this bitch.


Sorry you had to be the victim.

See, now you know why you got the email on myspace....

...Troll.

 

[MK3Brent]

There's no such thing as "zero gravity."

Ah crap, I think someone already said that.

 

[koulee]

It would do the same thing a lit match would do in near zero-g: take the shape of a perfect sphere.

 

[Supra]

It would do the same thing a lit match would do in near zero-g: take the shape of a perfect sphere.

:ttiwwp:

I want to see a round ball of fire on the end of a wooden match stick.

 

[Supra]

I want to see a round ball of fire on the end of a wooden match stick.

Nevermind, I found it myself... And that's the coolest thing I've seen all day.