You have two balloons, one large (30 cm in diameter) and one small (15 cm in dia

Question

You have two balloons, one large (30 cm in diameter) and one small (15 cm
in diameter) filled with helium. Both balloons are made of the same
material (latex) and have the same unfilled material thickness (2 mm) and
have a 3 cm diameter. You release both balloons at sea level and they begin
to float. As the balloon floats, the pressure that it is exposed to will
change and so will the temperature. These changes in pressure will affect
the size of the balloon. The change in the balloon size will affect the
thickness of the material, which will influence the surface tension that
the material can withstand.
A) Plot the diameter of the balloon as a function
of height.
B) At what height will the balloons explode?
C) What was the velocity
of the balloon when that happened?

State your assumptions and present all of your calculations.

Explanation / Answer

As the balloon rises, the air in the atmosphere gets thinner. At some point in altitude (around 28,000 feet according to one site listed below), the air pressure inside the balloon is greater than the air pressure outside the ballon. When that happens.. POP. I should also mention that wind currents can play a degree as well, since the cold air can cause the latex to become stiff sooner than its maximum stretching point and thus burst earlier.

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