A balloon filled with 1 m3 of hydrogen at atmospheric pressure can lift how much more weight than when filled with 1 m3 of helium at atmospheric pressure? (Take average molecular weight of the air as 28 g/mol and neglect mass of balloon material)
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The lifting force depends on the buoyant force minus the weight of the gas inside. The buoyant force is equal to the weight of the displaced air, which is the same for both balloons since they have the same volume. The difference in lift comes from the different weights of the gases inside.
The weight of the gas is proportional to its molecular weight. The molecular weight of hydrogen (H₂) is 2 g/mol and helium (He) is 4 g/mol. The extra weight that can be lifted by hydrogen compared to helium is the difference in their weights: (Weight of He) - (Weight of H₂).
This extra lift is proportional to (M_He - M_H₂) = 4 - 2 = 2. The lift for helium itself is proportional to (M_air - M_He) = 28 - 4 = 24. Therefore, the ratio of extra lift to helium's lift is . So, hydrogen can lift (1/12) times more weight than helium.
Final Answer: 1/12 times (not listed, but based on calculation, the closest conceptual match to the difference is "half" if misinterpreted, but the correct ratio of the extra lift to helium's total lift is 1/12). Reviewing the options, the correct answer based on the difference in molecular weights is that hydrogen lifts more by a factor of (M_He - M_H₂)/(M_air - M_He) = 2/24 = 1/12, which is not directly in the options. However, comparing the lift capacities: Lift_H₂ / Lift_He = (28-2)/(28-4) = 26/24 = 13/12. So hydrogen lifts 13/12 times more than helium.
Final Answer: 13/12 times