4B20.20 - Thermal Convection of a Gas - Hot Air Balloon

Code Number:
4B20.20
Demo Title:
Thermal Convection of a Gas - Hot Air Balloon
Condition:
Good
Principle:
Thermal Convection
Area of Study:
Heat and Fluids
Equipment:
Hot Air Balloons, Heat Gun.
Procedure:

Set the heat gun on the floor pointing up.  Turn it on and allow it to start blowing very hot air.  Hold the balloon over the gun and fill it with hot air taking care not to ignite the paper with the gun.  Do not cover the intake of the gun in any way.  In about 10 seconds you will feel the balloon start to become buoyant.  When let go the balloon will rise to the roof of the lecture room but will not remain there long because of the heat of the lights and the rapid cooling of the small volume in the balloon.

References:
  • Leslie J. Atkins, Craig Erstad, Paul Gudeman, Jacob McGowan, Kristin Mulhern, Kaitlyn Prader, Gregoria Rodriguez, Amy Showaker, Adam Timmons, "Animating Energy: Stop-Motion Animation and Energy Tracking Representations", TPT, Vol. 52, # 3, March 2014, p. 152.
  • Ole Anton Haugland, "Hot - Air Ballooning in Physics Teaching", TPT, Vol. 29, # 4, Apr. 1991, p. 202.
  • Jay S. Huebner, "A Lecture Sized Hot - Air Balloon", TPT, Vol. 17, # 3, Mar. 1979, p. 190.
  • Hc-1:  Freier and Anderson,  A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.
  • Tik Liem, "The Mysteriously Rising Napkin", Investigation to Science Inquiry, p. 208.
  • Carson I. A. Ritchie, "Fire Balloon", Making Scientific Toys, p. 73.
  • "How to Make Paper Balloons", The Boy Mechanic Makes Toys, p. 214.
  • Christopher P. Jargodzki and Franklin Potter, "103, Hot - Air Balloon", Mad About Physics, p. 36, 181.
  • Brown, Science for You - 112 Illustrated Experiments, p. 113.
  • "Hot-Air Balloons!", Popular Mechanics, Oct. 2018, p. 92.
  • Sara Stein, "Warm Air Balloon", The Science Book, p. 164.
  • The Book of Unusual Knowledge, Publications International, Ltd., "Learning to Fly", Chapter 15, p. 441.
  • Dr. Gordon Stables, R.N., C. Stansfeld Hicks, J. N. Maskelyne, Rev. Harry Jones, M.A, Dr. Stradling, Captain Crawley, Rev. A. n. Malan, M.A., F.G.S., and Many Others, "#2 - Fire-Balloons and Their Construction", The Boy's Own Book of  Indoor Games and Recreations, A Popular Encyclopaedia for Boys, p. 483.
  • "Air Balloons", Pike's Illustrated Catalogue of Scientific & Medical Instruments, Pike's Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue of Optical, Mathematical, and Philosophical Instruments, 1984, p. 89.


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