With all the excitement about the hot air balloons, let's learn some science behind how they work:
- Everything, including air, is made of matter. Matter is made of microscopic parts called molecules.
- Air molecules are found inside and outside of a balloon. When heat is added, the molecules inside the balloon start to move faster, bump into each other, and spread out. When they spread out, it causes the balloon to expand.
- Warm air molecules are more spread out, which scientists call being less dense. Cool air molecules are packed closer together, which is called being more dense.
- The warmer air, because it's less dense, rises above the cooler air around the balloon.
- Since less dense air rises, it causes the balloon to rise. To come back down, the pilot slowly releases warm air from an opening at the top of the balloon.
Here's a video that explains how hot air balloons work.--> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABsVP41-EeY
You can read more here:
https://kids.kiddle.co/Hot_air_balloon
https://www.dkfindout.com/us/transportation/history-aircraft/balloons/