Imagine that you could take a helium-filled balloon to the moon. If you stood on the lunar surface, holding the ribbon tied to the bottom of the balloon, what would you expect to happen when it was released? We'll assume that the balloon doesn't burst and I'll give you four possible outcomes; The balloon rises … Continue reading Balloon on the Moon
Why does hot air rise?
Easy question! It's because hot air is less dense than cold air. Except that things aren't really this simple. How does hot air know its own density and the density of the cold air that surrounds it? For that matter, how does hot air know which way is up? You might say that hot air … Continue reading Why does hot air rise?
Changes of State
Despite having previously examined a phase-change diagram in detail (here) I haven't yet covered the particle model and how it links to different states of matter. So that topic, which is relevant for both chemistry and physics, is the focus of this article. First let's clarify the terminology... we will be confining ourselves to the … Continue reading Changes of State
Under(water) Pressure
Pressure explains why an applied force makes a drawing pin goes into the noticeboard and not your thumb: it also explains why a sharp knife is safer than a blunt one when practising culinary skills. There is also another aspect of pressure that relates to forces within a fluid (liquid or gas) and that is … Continue reading Under(water) Pressure
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 