Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 17/11/2008 19:46:39

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 17/11/2008 19:46:39

My girl and I are curious...how big would a helium balloon have to be to lift 35 lbs. I have no idea, but I assume it would have to be pretty big, because it would have to displace at least 35 lbs. of air. So if you could give me an idea in general terms (as my name suggests I am not a big scientist.)

Title: Re: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: RD on 18/11/2008 00:27:34

Quote

Lawrence Richard Walters, nicknamed "Lawnchair Larry" or the "Lawn Chair Pilot", (April 19, 1949 – October 6, 1993) was an American former truckdriver who took flight on July 2, 1982 in a homemade aircraft. The device, dubbed Inspiration I, was fashioned out of a patio chair and 45 helium-filled weather balloons. He rose to an altitude of 16,000 feet (3 miles or 4,900 meters) and floated from his point of origin in San Pedro, California into controlled airspace near Long Beach airport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Walters


Larry survived, Father de Carli did not...

Quote

Father de Carli has not been seen since he took off from the town of Parana on Sunday in a contraption made of 1,000 helium balloons and a chair.

Rescuers have since found a cluster of multi-coloured balloons floating off the coast of Southern Brazil prompting fears that the priest died out at sea.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1901407/Brazils-ballooning-priest-may-be-latest-self-inflicted-tragedy.html

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Don_1 on 18/11/2008 08:10:18

Some people get some real daft ideas in their heads don't they (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fballons%2F1.gif&hash=f5f49a4d10fc4cffb1b79767d9b49a86)

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: RD on 18/11/2008 17:24:57

What is Onlyinterestednotdevoted's 35lb payload ? : a dog ?, a young sibling ?   [:0]

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 18/11/2008 20:32:03

It is her youngest son.

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Bored chemist on 19/11/2008 06:54:54

Does that count towards a darwin award?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 20/11/2008 16:00:09

Quote from: Bored chemist on 19/11/2008 06:54:54

Does that count towards a darwin award?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards

NO. I don't think I'm worthy of the Darwin Award. But thank you for the nomination. But let me ask a more personal question. I weigh about 205 lbs. How big would the balloon have to be to lift me about 15 feet off the ground?

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: RD on 20/11/2008 20:09:24

Quote from: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 20/11/2008 16:00:09

Quote from: Bored chemist on 19/11/2008 06:54:54

Does that count towards a darwin award?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Awards

NO. I don't think I'm worthy of the Darwin Award. But thank you for the nomination. But let me ask a more personal question. I weigh about 205 lbs.
 How big would the balloon have to be to lift me about 15 feet off the ground?

A balloon which could lift you 15 feet could also lift you 15,000 feet and more. You would keep on rising until the balloon burst in the thinner atmosphere at high altitude, you would then plummet to the ground where you would become eligible for a Darwin award.  [xx(]

Lawnchair Larry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Walters) survived by having 45 balloons, he burst a few with a pellet gun to allow a survivable descent.

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 21/11/2008 13:45:52

Well how much air would I have to displace to allow me to lift?

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: lyner on 23/11/2008 16:09:05

Quote from: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 21/11/2008 13:45:52

Well how much air would I have to displace to allow me to lift?

Your own weight plus a little bit.

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Bored chemist on 23/11/2008 19:26:03

Roughly 1 cubic metre will lift about 1 Kg.
Helium is not a renewable resource but fools are. If anyone plans to do this experiment please use hydrogen.

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Onlyinterestednotdevoted on 24/11/2008 02:01:48

but isnt hydrogen much more explosive than helium?

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 24/11/2008 04:26:28

If your struck by lightning or something similar of that nature, hydrogen can be used. I don't think anyone will do this experiment in wild weather though.

Title: How much helium would be required to lift a mass of 35 lb?
Post by: Bored chemist on 24/11/2008 19:08:37

Quote from: Chemistry4me on 24/11/2008 04:26:28

If your struck by lightning or something similar of that nature, hydrogen can be used.

Thanks for that.