Hot Air Balloons

Overview

Explore the fascinating world of lighter-than-air flight! This honor combines aviation history, chemistry, physics, engineering, and hands-on building as you discover how balloons actually rise, move, and fly. It is a hands-on introduction to balloon aviation and the science of flight.

Requirements

1. State the role each of the following played in the development of flying balloons.

a. Joseph Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier
b. Jean Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent Marquis d’Arlandes.
c. Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles and Nicolas Louis Robert.
d. Ben L. Abruzzo, Maxie L. Anderson, and Larry Newman
e. Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones

2. Cite the principle of Archimedes, and briefly describe how it applies to each of the following:

a. A piece of cork floating in a bowl of water
b. A ship floating in the ocean
c. A hot air balloon floating in the atmosphere

3. Using a textbook of Chemistry, or a reference book of scientific tables, draw up a simple table showing the composition of air by weight and by volume.

4. Draw up a simple table showing a comparison of the atomic number, atomic weight, and density of hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, and oxygen.

5. Name two gases that are used in flying gas filled balloons.

6. Explain how heat/temperature affect the density of air, and how this applies to flying hot air balloons.

7. Explain the role of each of the following in the structure and flying of a hot air balloon:

a. Envelope
b. Support structure
c. Throat
d. Fuel source

8. Name two materials that may be used for the envelope of a hot air balloon, and compare the advantages each accords because of its properties.

9. Describe how flying balloons have served a useful function in

a. Military campaigns
b. Scientific research

10. At what time of the day do most sport balloon flights take place? Why?

11. Describe how a pilot controls the vertical movement of

a. A hot air balloon
b. A gas filled balloon

12. Describe how a pilot controls the lateral or horizontal movement of a flying balloon.

13. Build to completion one model hot air balloon (or two if working in pairs).

14. Successfully launch, fly, and recover the model hot air balloon(s) which you have built.

Answer key & resources

Answer Key

Master awards

This honor counts toward:

Artisan Master Award

Investiture Achievement

This honor is required, suggested or listed as an option in:

Adapted from AY Honors/Hot Air Balloons on the Pathfinder Wiki, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. See the original page's history for its authors.
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