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Science For Seniors Aerial Extravaganza

The weather was perfect on the morning of April 26, 2025. Just a pleasant breeze. 15 people lined up in the shade outside the library to hold the 55 ft long balloon while it was inflated with a leaf blower. One end was tied with a string and we all walked out into the sun.

The science behind this event is the same as a hot air balloon. But instead of using a fire to heat the air inside the balloon, the black plastic skin absorbs sunlight and converts light into heat. The heated air inside is less dense than cooler air outside and the balloon rises. To keep the long object as light as possible, the plastic skin is paper thin. After about 20 minutes, one end blew against some branches of the sycamore tree and made about 5 tears in the balloon. That end was cut, the new end sealed and our 55-ft balloon became a 45-ft balloon. Still, it had enough lift to excite the people at the Farmers Market. One person tried to straddle it, but their 100+ pounds was a bit too much for liftoff.

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