Brain Teasers
Alien Balloons
Science
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.Science
Aliens have inflated two identical balloons, but one is inflated more than the other. You have the option of being inside the smaller balloon or the larger balloon. Once inside, your captors will join the two balloons by a short length of tubing. Then they will let the air flow freely between the balloons. Does the smaller balloon expand as the larger one shrinks? You have to make the right choice, because, alas, you have claustrophobia and therefore want to choose the balloon that will eventually give you the most room for movement. Which balloon do you choose?
Answer
Choose the larger one, which will get even larger. If you choose the smaller balloon, it will shrink until it completely engulfs you. The smaller balloon has greater elastic force, and will exert a greater inward force. It has greater internal pressure, which is why it is initially more difficult to inflate a balloon than when it has already started expanding.Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
You said at the start the two baloons were identical
Yes, but one of them is inflated more.
Cathal: the two balloons were both red and were 50 cents at Walmart. Their names ar Bob and Bob, and they both have a slight problem with gingerbread.
sorry missie, but they are actually named George
SMACK DOWN MISSIE!
The answer does not make any sense. Intuitively it is obvious that since the larger balloon is more stretched that it should have higher pressure, so air should flow from the larger to the smaller.
You're all fools. If both balloons are connected, then they will become the same size. Air will transfer until the pressures are equal.
DON'T call me a fool.
It was stated that the two baloons were identical therefore they will have the same elastic force and will equalise once connected
It was stated that the two baloons were identical therefore they will have the same elastic force and will equalise once connected
I agree with Yoda448, eventually both will be of the same size.
If you don't believe that it works like that, try it! You'll find very quickly that he's right.
Identical balloons that are different?
you all are soooo stupid. elastic force?
this has nothing to do with it. i am assuming you did this little experiment on earth. where the pressure was a constant 1 atm. whereas if the balloons were identical and filled with the same substance (ill assume its your hot hot air) then they would become equal unless affected in some outside way. The outside pressure acting upon the balloons would cause this. Its elementary stuff
this has nothing to do with it. i am assuming you did this little experiment on earth. where the pressure was a constant 1 atm. whereas if the balloons were identical and filled with the same substance (ill assume its your hot hot air) then they would become equal unless affected in some outside way. The outside pressure acting upon the balloons would cause this. Its elementary stuff
The answer given is correct folks. It's one of those situations that is counter-intuitive. Most people think they will equalise, but they don't. It's been done many a time in science classes. As was suggested earlier, do it yourself and you will see.
Good teaser. Caught me out at first but then I remembered that I once blew up some balloons at a birthday party. Yep! They do blow back more when they're little! Any one care to use the scientific method? Just one minor point. When the smaller balloon reaches a certain stage of deflation it will cease to shrink further. It won't go down to a vacuum.
Don't you just love teasers that people just have to have a huge debate over?
NICE ONE
Slight problem with this, if the balloon that gets inflated the most isn't inflated past a certain point then the logical idea of them equalizing to the same size will happen. Also if the balloon that got inflated the least also got inflated past that point then when air is able to flow between them they will stay the size they originally were. From the information given there is no way to determine whether the larger balloon will then increase, decrease or stay the same size when air is allowed to flow between them.
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