14. The Von Hindenburg airship was a famous lighter-than-air vehicle that met a
ID: 1949928 • Letter: 1
Question
14. The Von Hindenburg airship was a famous lighter-than-air vehicle that met a fiery end at
its moorage in Lakehurst, New Jersey, in 1937. Called a "dirigible" because, unlike traditional
hot-air balloons, it was "directable," the craft used hydrogen, the lightest gas, for buoyancy. The
hydrogen capacity of the craft was 200,000 m3, and together with its cabin, access spaces, and
navigation surfaces it displaced 205,000 m3 of air. Its fully-loaded weight, including hydrogen
gas, engines, diesel fuel, crew, 72 passengers, and 76 kg of luxury items such as caviar, was
1.95×105 kg. When the ship was safely docked, it was held down by two angled lines, each 20.6
meters long, at a height of 14.2 m above their attachment points on two mooring towers. What
was the tension on each mooring line? Assume that the density of air is 1.23 kg/m3. (Of course,
hydrogen is not only the lightest gas, it is also highly flammable, which makes it risky to use in
airships.)
Explanation / Answer
total mass of the air displaced = 205 000 x 1.23 = 252150 kg
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