Blue balloon cannot store energy

Why is a balloon filled with air a problem?

A balloon filled with air just does not create that room, since replacing it would not reduce the potential energy of the air column above it. So, the problem with the balloon is not only about the source of energy, but also about a method of releasing or transferring the existing potential energy.

What happens when you blow up a balloon?

This energy goes into the gravitational potential energy (GPE) of the entire atmosphere, as the air you pushed away when blowing up the balloon pushes away other air, and so on, ultimately raising air away from Earth.

What happens if you push a balloon into water?

The deeper you push the balloon of air into the water, the more potential energy you give the balloon of air. The same goes for helium, except with the atmosphere. Helium has high potential energy near the ground, and expended potential energy high in the atmosphere.

What happens if you attach a brick to a balloon?

Thus the potential energy is already there; by attaching the brick to the balloon, you're translating the helium's potential bouyant energy into the brick's potential gravitational energy. If the brick were not there, that energy would be translated into the helium's kinetic energy, which would rise much faster without the brick.

Why do balloons have a buoyant force?

The buoyant force is due to displacement of the containing fluid. Yes, all the energy comes from the energy needed to inflate the balloon. This is a bit more intuitive if you imagine how little the typical balloon can carry (less than one gram), and how violently the tanks of compressed air you use to fill balloons can explode.

What is balloon potential energy?

Buoyant potential energy is a misleading and confusing concept. There is no energy stored in the balloon. The energy comes from the fluid. Take a cork, tie a weight to it and drop it in an empty glass. What's the 'buoyant potential energy'? Zip, zilch, nada. It's just a cork laying at the bottom of a glass. Pour some water in.