House party: could you float a house with helium balloons?
On screen chemistry with Jonathan Hare
In the cartoon, Up, 78-year old Carl Fredicksen is about to be taken away by social services to a rather depressing old folks’ home but he escapes by attaching thousands of helium balloons to his house and floating away. Could you do this in real life?
Amazing as it sounds, in July 2007, Fox News in the US reported that ‘gas station owner’ Kent Couch tied 105 very large helium balloons to a chair and took to the skies for nine hours, flying 193 miles. So, on a small scale it looks feasible but how many helium balloons would you need to pick up a house?
Make your lessons pop
Choose an account option to continue exploring our full range of articles and teaching resources