What is going to happen to a balloon filled with helium that is left in a car over night when the temperature drops approximately 20 degrees? (There are no holes in the balloon.)
Responses
A The balloon is going to pop due to the increase in volume of the gas.The balloon is going to pop due to the increase in volume of the gas.
B The balloon will be completely deflated due to the freezing of the gas.The balloon will be completely deflated due to the freezing of the gas.
C The balloon is going to look somewhat deflated due to the decrease in volume.The balloon is going to look somewhat deflated due to the decrease in volume.
D Nothing, the balloon will look the same. Temperature change has no effect on gas volume.
C The balloon is going to look somewhat deflated due to the decrease in volume.
The correct answer is C. The balloon is going to look somewhat deflated due to the decrease in volume.
To understand why this happens, we need to know about the relationship between temperature and gas volume. According to the ideal gas law, the volume of a gas is directly proportional to its temperature (assuming constant pressure and amount of gas). This means that as the temperature decreases, the volume of the gas also decreases, and as the temperature increases, the volume of the gas increases.
In this situation, when the temperature drops approximately 20 degrees, the helium gas inside the balloon will cool down. As a result, the gas molecules slow down and move closer together, occupying less space. This decrease in volume causes the balloon to look somewhat deflated.
It is important to note that this is not the same as the balloon popping or the gas freezing. The decrease in volume is temporary and can be remedied by warming up the gas, which will cause it to expand again and inflate the balloon.