Question

A weather balloon has a volume of 55 L at sea level. After a balloon is released is rises to where the air pressure is 0.85 atm. What will the new volume of the weather balloon be? Will the balloon appear to have expanded or shrunk, why or why not?

Answer 1

Answer: 64.71 L. The balloon will have expanded.

Explanation: 1st, sea level is equal to 1 atm. You will then use Boyle’s Law: P1V1=P2V2.

P1= 1 atm

V1= 55 L

P2= 0.85 atm

V2= ?

Now insert the numbers for the letters:

(1)(55)=(0.85)(V2)

55=0.85V2

Divide by 0.85 on both sides:

V2=64.71L

Now, according to Boyle’s Law, when pressure decreases, volume increases. That’s why the balloon inflates rather than deflates.