I just don’t understand what’s happening to them. Everything I’ve read says the lower external pressure causes the helium inside the balloon to expand. Does this just mean the pressure inside the balloon is rising as if I blew up a balloon to far till it bursts? Why does the balloon expand?
In: Physics
The balloon feels pressure from both sides.
The helium pushes outwards. The atmosphere presses inwards. When the air outside presses harder the balloon expands, and the pressure inside drops.
When the pressure inside matches the pressure outside the balloon stops expanding.
When the balloon rises, there is less air pressing down on it, and so the pressure drops outside. This means the gas inside the balloon win the pushing match, causing it to expand again until it presses out as hard as all the air outside is pressing in.
Rinse and repeat until the balloon stretches to fast, and it rips.
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