The Student Room Group

Pressure / gas laws

In July 2003 there was an attempt to fly a manned, spherical balloon to a height of about
forty kilometres. At this height the atmospheric pressure is only one thousandth of its
value at sea level and the balloon would have expanded to a diameter of 210 m. The
temperature at this height is –60 °C. The attempt failed because the thin skin of the
balloon split while it was being filled with helium at sea level.
(a) Make an estimate of the temperature at sea level, and hence obtain the volume of
helium the balloon would have contained at sea level if it had been filled successfully.

:confused: Feeling pretty stumped by this. Any help would be paid in swag :cool: .
Original post by TheLegendHimself
In July 2003 there was an attempt to fly a manned, spherical balloon to a height of about
forty kilometres. At this height the atmospheric pressure is only one thousandth of its
value at sea level and the balloon would have expanded to a diameter of 210 m. The
temperature at this height is –60 °C. The attempt failed because the thin skin of the
balloon split while it was being filled with helium at sea level.
(a) Make an estimate of the temperature at sea level, and hence obtain the volume of
helium the balloon would have contained at sea level if it had been filled successfully.

:confused: Feeling pretty stumped by this. Any help would be paid in swag :cool: .


p1V1T1=p2V2T2\frac{p_1 V_1}{T_1}=\frac{p_2 V_2}{T_2}

in order to find V1
Original post by Stonebridge
p1V1T1=p2V2T2\frac{p_1 V_1}{T_1}=\frac{p_2 V_2}{T_2}

in order to find V1


Still aren't getting it :eek:
Original post by TheLegendHimself
Still aren't getting it :eek:


You know the initial and final pressures
You know the final volume (via diameter)
You guess the initial temperature and you know the final

What don't you get?
Original post by Stonebridge
You know the initial and final pressures
You know the final volume (via diameter)
You guess the initial temperature and you know the final

What don't you get?


Where are you getting the initial temperature from?
Original post by TheLegendHimself
Where are you getting the initial temperature from?


You are expected to make an intelligent guess at the typical temperature on the surface of the Earth. What's the temperature outside your house right now. Use that.
Could do that, but the temperature around the Earth varies like crazy and the question asks you to calculate the sea level temperature and it doesn't sound like it wants a guesstimate at 6 marks.
No it doesn't say calculate it says estimate.

Whatever value you use will give you the volume of the balloon at the start at that temperature.

If there was more to the question that you haven't told us about then it would help if you posted it if this info was there to help you "estimate" the initial temperature. As it stands from what you have posted, this is how you do the question.
Have you tried the calculation using 20 deg C, which is about the average surface temperature on earth?
Original post by Stonebridge
No it doesn't say calculate it says estimate.

Whatever value you use will give you the volume of the balloon at the start at that temperature.

If there was more to the question that you haven't told us about then it would help if you posted it if this info was there to help you "estimate" the initial temperature. As it stands from what you have posted, this is how you do the question.
Have you tried the calculation using 20 deg C, which is about the average surface temperature on earth?


Oh alright - dumb me. I didn't see the word 'estimate' - thanks.

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