Why does a hot air balloon begin to rise when heated air is trapped inside the balloon?
Thanks so much for the help,
:)~happy
Sorry you don't have to answer this. I was able to figure it out!! :)
Good for you. I answered the same question two days ago, by the way.
To get lifted by the convection energy from the hot air balloon to fly from ground level .
A hot air balloon rises when heated air is trapped inside primarily due to the principle of buoyancy. Buoyancy is the force that causes objects to float in a fluid, such as air or water. So, when the air inside the balloon is heated, it becomes less dense than the surrounding cooler air. As a result, the hot air balloon experiences a buoyant force that is greater than its weight, causing it to rise.
To understand this phenomenon further, it's important to know a bit about the properties of air. As air is heated, its molecules move faster, and this increased motion results in the expansion of the air. When the air inside the balloon is heated by a burner located at the base (known as a propane burner), it expands and becomes less dense compared to the colder air outside the balloon.
The difference in density causes the balloon to float upwards because less dense air exerts less pressure compared to the surrounding denser air. The buoyant force acts in the opposite direction of gravity and is strong enough to overcome the downward force of gravity, allowing the balloon to overcome its weight and rise into the sky.
So, to summarize, the hot air balloon rises because the heated air inside the balloon is less dense and experiences a greater buoyant force than the surrounding cooler air.