The Mystery of the Deflating Balloon
What most likely caused the helium-filled balloon to deflate when taken outside into the cold air?
A. The air pressure inside the store was higher than the air pressure outside.
B. The cold air outside allowed some of the helium atoms to escape from the balloon.
C. The speed of the helium atoms decreased outside, causing the pressure in the balloon to decrease.
D. The air molecules outside were moving faster than the helium atoms, putting pressure on the outside surface of the balloon.
Answer:
The most likely cause for the deflation of the balloon when taken outside into the cold air is that the cold air allowed some of the helium atoms to escape from the balloon.
The most likely cause for the deflation of the balloon when taken outside into the cold air is option B - The cold air outside allowed some of the helium atoms to escape from the balloon. When the temperature decreases, the kinetic energy of the atoms decreases, causing them to slow down and take up less space. This results in a decrease in pressure inside the balloon, causing it to deflate.
So, next time you're wondering why your helium-filled balloon is deflating, remember that it's all about the cold air playing tricks on those helium atoms!