why does the “loudness” when popping a balloon change depending on what it is filled with?
In: Physics
When you fill a balloon with helium, it has a lower density compared to air or helium. That low density also means it has less stored energy that will convert into a sound.
Experiments show that gases with higher density produce louder noises when poppped ^[source](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jim-Ross-2/publication/339513438_Why_Balloons_Make_a_Loud_Noise_When_They_Pop/links/5e56e7cc92851cefa1c7dc6c/Why-Balloons-Make-a-Loud-Noise-When-They-Pop.pdf)
The gas won’t always determine the volume of the balloon, though. It’s really just about the density of the gas — so if you have partially filled balloons, you wouldn’t hear the same effect.
Alright, imagine a balloon is like a little bag that holds air. When you pop a balloon, it makes a loud sound because of the air inside. Now, what the balloon is filled with can affect the loudness.
Think of the air inside the balloon as a bunch of tiny pieces (molecules) that are bouncing around. When you pop the balloon, these pieces move really fast and hit the air around them. The faster they move, the louder the noise.
If the balloon is filled with helium, which is lighter than regular air, the molecules inside can move faster. This makes the popping sound a bit higher and often less loud.
On the other hand, if the balloon is filled with something heavier, like regular air or another gas, the molecules don’t move as fast, so the popping sound is lower and often louder.
So, the type of gas inside the balloon affects how fast the molecules move when it pops, and that’s why the loudness can change depending on what the balloon is filled with.
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