Have you ever dreamed of flying with your house like in the animated film Up? If yes, you may be wondering how many balloons it will take to lift your house into the air. The answer of course depends on the weight of your house, the size of the balloon, and the gas used to fill the balloon. In this article, we will try to calculate the approximate number of balloons needed to lift an average house in Indonesia.
Things you need to prepare when lifting a house with balloons
Raising a house with balloons is a very bold and interesting idea, but it also requires careful and careful preparation. Here are some things you need to prepare when lifting a house with a balloon:
Make sure your house has a strong and sturdy structure.
Have a strong and sturdy house structure so that it will not be damaged or collapse when lifted by a balloon. You also need to strengthen the foundation of your house so that it doesn’t leave the ground when flying.
Choose a balloon that suits the size and weight of your house.
You need to calculate how many balloons are needed to lift your house, and how much gas pressure must be put into the balloons. You also need to make sure that the balloons are of good quality and leak-proof.
Prepare a strong rope or cable to tie the balloon to your house.
You need to tie the balloons neatly and evenly around your house, so that no part is over or under lifted. You also need to check that the ropes or cables are not broken or tangled.
Prepare communication and navigation tools that can be used while flying.
You need to bring a cell phone, radio, GPS, compass and map to communicate with people below and find out the position and direction of your house. You also need to bring binoculars, a flashlight and a whistle to signal if there is trouble or danger.
Prepare emergency and safety equipment that can be used when flying.
You need to bring medicine, food, drinks, blankets, jackets and tents to deal with cold or hot weather conditions. You also need to bring a parachute, inner tube, knife, and rope to deal with emergency situations such as a balloon leak or a falling house.
How to Calculate the Estimated Number of Balloons Needed to Raise a House
First
We need to know the average weight of a house in Indonesia. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the average building area per household in Indonesia in 2019 was 76.68 square meters. If we assume that the house is 3 meters high and is made of materials such as concrete, wood, iron and tile, then we can estimate the weight of the house by using the density of each material. For example, the density of concrete is around 2400 kg/m3, wood is around 600 kg/m3, iron is around 7800 kg/m3, and tile is around 2000 kg/m3. If we assume that the house consists of 50% concrete, 25% wood, 10% iron, and 15% tile, then the weight of the house is:
(0.5 x 2400 + 0.25 x 600 + 0.1 x 7800 + 0.15 x 2000) x 76.68 x 3 = 329,424 kg
Second
We need to know the size of the balloon that will be used to lift the house. Balloons that are usually used for decorations or parties have a diameter of around 30 cm or a radius of around 15 cm. The volume of the balloon is:
(4/3) x pi x (15/100)^3 = 0.0141 m3
Third
We need to know the gas that will be used to fill the balloon. The most common gases used to fill balloons are helium or hydrogen. These two gases have a lower density than air, so they can provide buoyancy to the balloon. The density of helium is about 0.1785 kg/m3 and the density of hydrogen is about 0.0899 kg/m3 at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The buoyant force exerted by the gas on the balloon is:
Buoyant force = (density of air – density of gas) x volume of balloon x acceleration due to gravity
If we assume that the density of air is about 1.225 kg/m3 and the acceleration due to gravity is about 9.8 m/s2, then the buoyant force exerted by helium on the balloon is:
(1.225 – 0.1785) x 0.0141 x 9.8 = 0.144 N
and the buoyant force exerted by the hydrogen on the balloon is:
(1.225 – 0.0899) x 0.0141 x 9.8 = 0.164 N
Fourth
We can calculate the number of balloons needed to lift a house by dividing the weight of the house by the buoyant force per balloon. If we use helium as balloon filling gas, then the number of balloons needed is:
329,424 x 1000 / 0.144 = 2,288,333,333 balloons
and if we use hydrogen as a balloon filling gas, then the number of balloons needed is:
329,424 x 1000 / 0.164 = 2,008,585,366 balloons
So, we need more than two billion balloons to lift the average house in Indonesia into the air! Of course, this is only a rough estimate that does not take into account other factors such as the shape of the house, the balloon’s strap, air resistance, changes in pressure and temperature, and so on. In addition, using balloons to fly with houses is also very dangerous, especially if they use flammable hydrogen. So, we should just enjoy this idea as imagination and not try it in the real world.
