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Hot Air Balloon Flight
Many of us experience the effects of falling cold air and rising warm air on a regular basis. It is happening all the time in the air above and around us and is one of the components in our weather systems. You may notice that when there is no heating or air conditioning operating in your house, the rooms upstairs are slightly warmer than those downstairs. Another example is the hot air balloon that works precisely to this principle. By heating the air inside the balloon, the craft will be lighter than the surrounding air and will rise. This is actually the result of cold air gushing downwards around the balloon at the same time as it is rising. So why does cold air fall? That is simple: it is heavier than warm air. And why is it heavier? That is slightly less simple, but only slightly. As with any gas, the air (a generic term for the mixture of the gasses in our atmosphere), contains molecules that move (or agitate). This movement (or agitation) is greater as the temperature rises. The molecules move in ever greater orbits, taking up more space. This causes the mass of the air to expand. Although the total mass of a lump of air has not changed, the mass is more spread out and so any given cubic area of it will be lighter. An analogy is found with popcorn. A half pound of popcorn before being popped may fit into a cup. After popping, the same corn would fill a large saucepan. Its total weight will be more or less the same half pound that it always was, but if you filled up the original cup with the popped corn, it would weigh less than the unpopped corn as the rest of it would no longer fit into the cup. Expanding hot air is similar. A cup of cold air would weigh more than a cup of hot air. As we are playing the why game, let's continue. Why do the molecules move about more when it is warmer? They absorb energy through electro-magnetic waves that smash into the molecules. In short, this is energy transfer by radiation. So we have a collection (several trillion, lets say) of molecules that are very agitated and another collection which are far less agitated. The agitated collection is spread out and thus light. The collection that are less agitated is heavier. The heavier stuff falls downwards, while the light stuff rises. As well as being the main process behind hot air balloons, the movement of air according to its temperature is a critical factor with the weather. Forecasters must ensure that these movements are factored into their modelling systems in order to produce a decent weather forecast. Air conditioning designers and must also take these factors into account as must architects. In order to preserve valuable heat, warm air must be prevented from escaping through the top of a building. As well as conserving heat, the movement of colder air downwards must also be considered when designing refrigerators and refrigeration systems.
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Hot Air Balloon Flight Article
Hot Air Balloon Ride: A Perfect Gift by Chris Robertson
When you want to give a gift that will be remembered, consider giving a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride or other soaring adventures. Humans have always craved the freedom of flight, and balloon rides, glider rides, or skydiving are sure to be gifts that will thrill your recipients. A hot air balloon ride typically has room for one, two, three, four, or more passengers, depending upon the size of the gondola (the basket). Usually a crew chief will take your friend or friends to a launch site where the balloon is being inflated. After the balloon is inflated and everyone is in the gondola, the balloon gently ascends to between 500 and 1,000 feet. It travels above the treetops and below the clouds for about an hour, covering five or ten miles. Upon landing, it's typical to adhere to an old French tradition of celebrating with a champagne toast as the balloon is being rolled up. The entire experience takes about three hours. A glider ride can take several forms. Some gliders are equipped with dual-controlled joysticks, so a single rider can take the controls from the pilot for a short time and actually fly the glider. These glider rides are typically a series of two or three take-offs, flights, and landings, and usually last about an hour and a half. Another type of glider ride takes the rider up one mile in the air, where they can enjoy a smooth, quiet, peaceful ride with views of spectacular scenery. Other gliders have more room, so that two riders can accompany the pilot for a beautiful flight. For the truly adventuresome, tandem skydiving makes the perfect gift. Typically, the novice and the instructor board the jump plane and climb to between 10,000 and 13,000 feet. Signals are given and the novice exits the aircraft harnessed to his or her instructor. The free-fall is a rush and the feeling of flying is breathtaking. Then, the chute is opened and the two float to earth together. Soaring adventures make a wonderful gift, but they can also create memorable bonding experiences. A hot air balloon ride on your first wedding anniversary can be incredibly romantic and exciting. Likewise, a hot air balloon ride can provide the perfect backdrop for a reunion of close friends or classmates. Whatever the occasion, soaring adventures can put the wind beneath your wings. http://www.ideamarketers.com/./library/article.cfm?articleid=70865
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Article Snippet
- Hot Air Balloon Ride: A Perfect Gift by Chris Robertson
When you want to give a gift that will be remembered, consider giving a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride or other soaring adventures. Humans have always craved the freedom of flight, and balloon rides, glider rides, or skydiving are sure to be gifts that will thrill your recipients. A hot air balloon ride typically has room for one, two, three, four, or more passengers, depending upo
http://www.ideamarketers.com/ - Hot Air Balloon Rides What Happens? by Gary Mortimer
What to expect on a hot air balloon ride.Several factors have made hot air ballooning one of the fastest growing adventure ride items and hottest gift tickets around in the last 20 years. With more than 70,000 passengers flown in the UK alone every year.Sir Richard Branson and his well publicized Atlantic and Pacific crossings and numerous round the world attempts. All kept hot ai
http://www.ezinearticles.com/ - My Fear of Heights and a Hot Air Balloon by Michaela Scherr
Hot air ballooning is a different kettle of fish. Now I know hot air balloons fly (sort of) however there are no in-flight rations, flight attendants, movies, headsets, or pressurized cabins. There is just a big balloon (also called an envelope – I paid attention during the pre-flight briefing), a basket, a gas burner and a group of excited people. To me this was not flying, more like drifti
http://www.ezinearticles.com/ - Violet the Pilot in France - Review by Lillian Brummet
Violet the Pilot in France is the second book in children's series written by author Bettina Bathe. This adventure involves a hot air balloon trip in Provence, France. Proud Canadian author and commercial pilot, Bettina Bathe was certain to include a Canadian flag patch on her main character's shoulder. However, Violet the pilot also embraces the country she is working in by placing that countr
http://www.ezinearticles.com/ - by Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin, is a Life Coach with a passion for helping people connect their strengths with their vision. Watch for Maureen's forthcoming e-workbook, Spirit Tickling -- a selection of her absolutely best articles, with questions to lead you
Dogs distrust hot air balloons. I gathered this tidbit as my husband and I floated over the mountains in a wicker gondola, listening to the barking chorus that followed us even 3,000 feet into the air. The burner evokes canine protest -- but we had no problems, as we drifted with the currents and contemplated the silent fog in its morning retreat over the hills. We learned
http://www.aaarticles.com/ - Flying in the Slow Lane by Maureen Killoran
Dogs distrust hot air balloons. I gathered this tidbit as my husband and I floated over the mountains in a wicker gondola, listening to the barking chorus that followed us even 3,000 feet into the air. The burner evokes canine protest -- but we had no problems, as we drifted with the currents and contemplated the silent fog in its morning retreat over the hills. We learned
http://www.aaarticles.com/ - by Michael Cheney is Author of The Website Marketing BibleTM. Take the Free 7-Part Course "Internet Marketing Made Easy" and get your free sampler of 'The Bible' here: http://www.websitemarketingbible.com/marketing/
Yes, believe it or not, after 10 years' of mastering Internet marketing I can now safely say that being successful at it comes down to just one thing..Billionaire Richard Branson, the entrepreneur behind the Virgin brand, is one of the world's most successful and adventurous businessmen. Not being satisfied to run several highly profitable businesses Branson also engages in occasional
http://www.aaarticles.com/ - What a Billionaire Balloonist Taught Me About Internet Marketing by Michael Cheney
Yes, believe it or not, after 10 years' of mastering Internet marketing I can now safely say that being successful at it comes down to just one thing..Billionaire Richard Branson, the entrepreneur behind the Virgin brand, is one of the world's most successful and adventurous businessmen. Not being satisfied to run several highly profitable businesses Branson also engages in occasional
http://www.aaarticles.com/
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