Instant Hot Air Balloon

Hot air balloons provide a wonderful example of applied science. The gas laws, in conjunction with the concepts of density and Archimedes’ Principle are brought to bear on one of mankind’s oldest preoccupations—flight! Hot-air balloons have found their way into science museums and exhibit halls around the world, and many classroom activities have recently been developed for constructing workable, small-scale models, usually made out of tissue paper or light-weight plastic. The following describes the simplest imaginable hot-air balloon model—easy to build and quick to launch!