A Ton of Helium!

[orangemacapple]

a kid asked me today – How much would a ton of helium weigh?

i was flummoxed. i'd never thought about weighing helium.

i'd heard the question asked about a ton of bricks and a ton of feathers, but never a ton of helium!

what would you do? turn a scale upside down, fill a balloon and gauge it that way?
how big a balloon would you need (cubic feet, i suppose)?

 

[ghall]

It would weigh a ton. Duh!

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I suspect a ton of helium would weigh a ton.

 

[killmoms]

A ton is a measure of weight, therefore a ton of helium would weigh a ton.

Silliest Thread of 2007!

 

[EricNau]

That is, assuming we still have a ton left! ...We are experiencing a worldwide shortage of helium at the moment.

 

[ghall]

Silliest Thread of 2007!

The year is still young.

 

[njmac]

a kid asked me today – How much would a ton of helium weigh?

i was flummoxed. i'd never thought about weighing helium.

i'd heard the question asked about a ton of bricks and a ton of feathers, but never a ton of helium!

what would you do? turn a scale upside down, fill a balloon and gauge it that way?
how big a balloon would you need (cubic feet, i suppose)?

When you heard the question asked about a ton of bricks and a ton of feathers... um, I'm just curious here... but what was your answer?

 

[SkyBell]

That is, assuming we still have a ton left! ...We are experiencing a worldwide shortage of helium at the moment.

Uh...do you have a link to that or something? I can't believe it without a link.

Anyway, I read somewhere that a ton of helium wieghs about 22 pounds (Don't quote me on that though, I'm not exactly sure)

 

[lancestraz]

That is, assuming we still have a ton left! ...We are experiencing a worldwide shortage of helium at the moment.

Gaa! What will we use to get squeaky voices?

This is ridic… Oh s***! My house is on fire! Quick! Quick! What's the number for 911?!!

 

[lexus]

a kid asked me today – How much would a ton of helium weigh?

i was flummoxed. i'd never thought about weighing helium.

i'd heard the question asked about a ton of bricks and a ton of feathers, but never a ton of helium!

what would you do? turn a scale upside down, fill a balloon and gauge it that way?
how big a balloon would you need (cubic feet, i suppose)?

Are you serious?

 

[Eric5h5]

Anyway, I read somewhere that a ton of helium wieghs about 22 pounds

Only if you redefine a ton to equal 22 pounds. Otherwise, a ton = a ton...why does this topic even exist....

--Eric

 

[orangemacapple]

but since helium has a negative weight (that's why balloons fly) would you use an "upside down" scale"?

maybe like a boat -- you don't weigh the boat, you weigh the water.

 

[lancestraz]

but since helium has a negative weight (that's why balloons fly) would you use an "upside down" scale"?

maybe like a boat -- you don't weigh the boat, you weigh the water.

What about liquid helium?

 

[killmoms]

but since helium has a negative weight (that's why balloons fly) would you use an "upside down" scale"?

maybe like a boat -- you don't weigh the boat, you weigh the water.

No, helium does not have negative weight. That term doesn't mean anything. The balloon and the helium in it have weight. It's merely that the helium-filled balloon weighs LESS than the air it displaces, thus it floats.

 

[orangemacapple]

What about liquid helium?

i've never heard of liquid helium. liquid hydrogen either for that matter.
liquid nitrogen, yeah.

 

[ITASOR]

a ton of helium wieghs about 22 pounds

Sounds about right.

 

[killmoms]

i've never heard of liquid helium. liquid hydrogen either for that matter.
liquid nitrogen, yeah.

Ah, Wikipedia, is there anything you DON'T know?

 

[Airforce]

i've never heard of liquid helium. liquid hydrogen either for that matter.
liquid nitrogen, yeah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_helium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_hydrogen

 

[orangemacapple]

ok, liquid helium at absolute zero.
i think my scales might freeze up.

 

[johnee]

wow, this is by far a thread I will avoid contributing to ( )

oh the irony

really, i can't believe what i'm reading here.

killmoms said

The balloon and the helium in it have weight. It's merely that the helium-filled balloon weighs LESS than the air it displaces, thus it floats.

which is correct. 1 gram of helium takes up more volume than 1 gram of the surrounding atmosphere. by the density equation :
p = m / v
where : p=density, m=mass, and v=volume,

we see the larger the volume (for same mass), the lower the density. Less dense objects are squeezed above objects with higher density. Ice is less dense than water, so it floats. if you could see it at an atomic level, you would basically see a fight between molecules of higher mass and molecules of lower mass to get to the surface of the earth. the higher the density of heavier molecules, the more they push the lighter molecules out of their way.

 

[orangemacapple]

so, how BIG is 2,000 pounds of helium at 70 ˚ at sea level here on earth?

 

[xUKHCx]

so, how BIG is 2,000 pounds of helium at 70 ? at sea level here on earth?

You Americans so need to get into the habit of using SI units.

At 273K the balloon would be approximately 24.2 m in diameter

This assumes that a ton of material is equal to 1000 kg

OR if you want a ton to be 20o0lb then the balloon would 23.5 m in diameter

 

[johnee]

so, how BIG is 2,000 pounds of helium at 70 ˚ at sea level here on earth?

All I could find right now is this : Density = (@ 0 °C, 101.325 kPa) 0.1786 g/L
from wikipedia.

for these conditions,

v = m / p = (2000lbs * A g / 1 lb) L / 0.1786 g

find out how many grams are in 1 lb, and replace that value for A, then solve.

 

[CanadaRAM]

but since helium has a negative weight (that's why balloons fly) would you use an "upside down" scale"?

maybe like a boat -- you don't weigh the boat, you weigh the water.

More accurately, you weigh the amount of water that the boat displaces when its floating on the surface. (Displacement)

 

[mpw]

...but how heavy is a tun of wine?