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AdventureAutoCultureEntertainmentHome & GardenMoneyScienceTechVideoShowsBlogsQuizzesGamesRandom ArticleEngineering Environmental Science Forces of Nature Innovation Military Physical Science Science Dictionary Science Versus Myth Space Transportation Home > Science > Transportation > Flight > ModernHow Hot Air Balloons Work by Tom HarrisPrint Cite This!Close Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article: Harris, Tom. "How Hot Air Balloons Work" 16 February 2001. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/hot-air-balloon.htm> 13 November 2011. CiteFeedback 96Stuff You Should Know Josh & Chuck explore zombies, mirror neurons and more Inside this Article Introduction to How Hot Air Balloons Work Rising Balloons Piloting a Balloon Launching and Landing Wind and Weather Air: A High-pressure Fluid See more Air Pressure + Gravity = BuoyancyBallooning HistoryLots More InformationSee all Modern articlesAir: A High-pressure Fluid One amazing thing about living on earth is that we are constantly walking around in a high-pressure fluid -- a substance with mass and no shape. The air around us is composed of several different elements in a gaseous state. In this gas, the atoms and molecules of the elements fly around freely, bumping into each other and everything else. As these particles collide against an object, each of them pushes with a tiny amount of energy. Because there are so many particles in the air, this energy adds up to a considerable pressure level (at sea level, about 14.7 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi), or 1 kg per square centimeter (kg/cm2!). The force of air pressure depends on two things: The rate of particle collision -- if more particles collide in a period of time, then more energy is transferred to an object. The force of the impact -- if the particles hit with greater force, more energy is transferred to an object. These factors are determined by how many air particles there are in an area and how fast they are moving. If there are more particles, or if they are travelling more quickly, there will be more collisions, and so greater pressure. Increasing particle speed also increases the force of the particle's impact. Most of the time we don't notice air pressure because there is air all around us. All things being equal, air particles will disperse evenly in an area so that there is equal air density at every point. Without any other forces at work, this translates to the same air pressure at all points. We aren't pushed

around by this pressure because the forces on all sides of us balance one another out. For example, 14.7 psi is certainly enough to knock over a chair, or crush it from the top, but because the air applies roughly the same pressure from the right, left, top, bottom and all other angles, every force on the chair is balanced by an equal force going in the opposite direction. The chair doesn't feel substantially greater pressure from any particular angle. So, with no other forces at work, everything would be completely balanced in a mass of air, with equal pressure from all sides. But on Earth, there are other forces to consider, chiefly gravity. While air particles are extremely small, they do have mass, and so they are pulled toward the Earth. At any particular level of the Earth's atmosphere, this pull is very slight -- the air particles seem to move in straight lines, without noticeably falling toward the ground. So, pressure is fairly balanced on the small scale. Overall, however, gravity pulls particles down, which causes a gradual increase in pressure as you move toward the earth's surface. In the next section, we'll explore how this works. VIDEO: Check out videos of amazing aircraft. >> Next Page Previous Page Ads by Google Buy Pressure Sensors Measure Pressure Distribution with our Tactile Pressure Sensors www.Tekscan.com/Pressure-Sensors Any Kind AFM Cantilevers AFM Cantilevers For Any Application Fast Delivery. Free Samples! NanoAndMore.com/Cantilevers Sell Real Estate Turkey Russians Buying Up Turkey Dedicated Agent Until Sold www.HouseSalesTurkey.com More To Explore How can parts of Canada be "missing" gravity? Where do bullets go when guns are fired straight up into the air? Science of Sex Appeal: A Sexy Walk Top 5 Myths about Video Games 10 of the Biggest Lies in History 5 Weird Inventions That Made Millions What happens in the brain during an orgasm? What are the five most prevalent forms of torture and why? What would happen if I drilled a tunnel through the center of the Earth and jumped into it? How Transparent Aluminum Armor Works Powered by Vertical Acuity 96 All Things Science 10 Incredible Wind Power Facts 10 Remarkable Exoplanets Fact or Fiction: Earthquake Quiz Top 10 Things That Women Invented The Ultimate Supernatural QuizWatch 100 Greatest Discoveries videos You Might Also Like Lockheed Vega The Lockheed Vega, which first flew on July 4, 1927, at the crest of the Lindbergh euphoria, was an all-wood, high-cantilever monoplane with a beautiful streamlined monocoque fuselage. Check out this beautiful, record-setting classic airplane. Granville Brothers Gee Bee Super Sportster R-1 The Gee Bee Super Sportster R-1 classic airplane was designed by the Granville Brothers, who became some of the most famous names in aviation during the Golden

Age of Flight. Learn about the records and ignominy of the speedy Super Sportster R-1.Popular Articles How the Switchblade Plane Will Work How Sonic Cruisers Will Work Revolution in Flight Related Ad Categories Air Compressor Air Travel Pressure Inside this Article Introduction to How Hot Air Balloons Work Rising Balloons Piloting a Balloon Launching and Landing Wind and Weather Air: A High-pressure Fluid Air Pressure + Gravity = Buoyancy Ballooning History Lots More Information See all Modern articles Next Page Previous Page Video Favorites Robot Videos Extreme Engineering Videos 10 Ways The World Will End Videos Space Station Videos New HSW Games Storm Tracker Bike Build Game Crab Fishing Game Volcano Explorer Cannon Challenge Ads by Google Custom Vacuum Generators Low Cost, Efficient, Reliable! PERFECT for OEM Applications. www.airvacpumps.com Pressure measurement Long-term stable & robust sensors - process & differential pressure www.vega.com Tickets Air Emirates Our Best Fares for Your Holidays: Hurry, Check Our Special Offers! eDreams.com/Flight_Offers Related Content Prices: Hot Air Balloon Posters Custom Military Photo Poster Printing - Small Turn your special photo memories into a poster and customize it for any occasion! Available in 3 sizes: 12" X 18", 18" X 24" and 24" X 36" Choose from either landscape or portrait orientation Optional border with 7 color choices available Choose from 3 different fonts and 6 font colors to write an optional custom message on bottom of posterTO ORDER: Please electronically upload your photo below (further instructions in Personalization Tips).Perfect for any service man or woman to welcome them home, wish them well, or say thanks for all they do! $9.95 La Rug Multi Colored Rug - Hot Air Balloon - 39x58 Inch Powered by Frooition Pro -- All Categories -- La Rug Multi Colored Rug - Hot

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