Gas Buoyancy
How are liquids and gases related? Why does buoyancy of a liquid matter?
Gases and liquids are both fluids. They act very similarly. Did you know that gases float on each other, just like liquids do?
What to Do:
1. Consider these three gases. Which one do you think would float on the top? Which one would float on the bottom?
2. We can’t see gases, so we have to put them in containers that we can see. Prepare a balloon with regular air, one with only carbon dioxide and a third with helium (see your instructor for more information).
3. How can we see which one would float to the top? Which one would think? Design an experiment to test your prediction.
4. Why would it be important to know which gases float when designing an airship ROV? What type of gas would you want in your ROV’s balloon? Use the online form to fill out this information.
Gases and liquids are both fluids. They act very similarly. Did you know that gases float on each other, just like liquids do?
What to Do:
1. Consider these three gases. Which one do you think would float on the top? Which one would float on the bottom?
- Air (a combination of gases that make up the air we breath)
- Carbon Dioxide (the air we exhale)
- Helium (the gas you might find in a birthday balloon)
2. We can’t see gases, so we have to put them in containers that we can see. Prepare a balloon with regular air, one with only carbon dioxide and a third with helium (see your instructor for more information).
3. How can we see which one would float to the top? Which one would think? Design an experiment to test your prediction.
4. Why would it be important to know which gases float when designing an airship ROV? What type of gas would you want in your ROV’s balloon? Use the online form to fill out this information.