Question
When a car accelerates quickly, the passengers feel a force that presses them back into their seats, but a balloon filled with helium floats forward. Why?
Step 1
A helium balloon floats because it is lighter than the air around it. This is due to the fact that helium is less dense than air. The balloon rises in the air because the denser air molecules push it upwards. This is known as buoyant force. Show more…
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When the driver of an automobile applies the brakes, the passengers are pushed toward the front of the car, but a helium balloon is pushed toward the back of the car. Upon forward acceleration, the passengers are pushed toward the back of the car, but the helium balloon is pushed toward the front of the car. Why?
Balloon in a Car Explain why a helium balloon in a closed automobile moves to the front of the car when the car accelerates, whereas the passengers feel pushed backwards. Discuss this in terms of the physics you have learned.
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