Calculate the Buoyant Force on a Hot Air Balloon
What is the buoyant force on the balloon?
Will the balloon float?
Answer:
The buoyant force on the hot air balloon is 14,625 N. Yes, the balloon will float.
When determining the buoyant force on a hot air balloon, we need to consider the weight of the fluid displaced, which in this case is air. The mass of the air displaced by the balloon is 1,500 kg, and the weight of the balloon is 20,000 N.
To calculate the buoyant force, we use the formula: Buoyant force = density of fluid x volume of fluid displaced x acceleration due to gravity. The density of air at sea level is approximately 1.2 kg/m^3. By calculating the volume of air displaced (1250 m^3), we find that the buoyant force on the balloon is 14,625 N.
Since the buoyant force is greater than the weight of the balloon, the balloon will float. The buoyant force helps to lift the balloon, allowing it to stay in the air. It is crucial for keeping the balloon aloft during flight.
In summary, the buoyant force on the hot air balloon is 14,625 N, and yes, the balloon will float due to the buoyant force being greater than the weight of the balloon.