Paper balloons have existed long before the birth of Christ. It has been attributed by the Chinese to Zhuge Liang, a noted strategist and minister during the Three Kingdoms Period. It is said that he invented these balloons to be a signal for his forces to attack Cao Cao in the now famous Battle of the Red Cliff. Thus, these balloons have shown their worth and have demonstrated the rudimentary knowledge that ancient peoples had of convection and the other laws of physics which dictate the movement of these balloons.
Actually, the mechanism of paper balloons are simple. A heat source will make the air inside rise, pulling with it the balloon. The almost infinite variations may be in the design, frame or material, which may give it different properties, like a lighter weight, or more expandability. The Chinese traditionally used rice paper, which is then drenched in oil. But for most of us, this would be inaccessible and somewhat prohibitively expensive. Thus, a readily available substitute is available. For those of us who wish to begin learning while doing, paper balloons made from tissue paper is the best choice for economy and weight.
Tissue paper is a very cheap paper, which has an ideal weight and texture. It is not like plastic which will make the fire lack oxygen, but rather allows the balloon to breathe, making it fly better. It is also very easy to glue and assemble, and will attach to other surfaces without big problems. The balloon is generally made without elaborate structures, and only commonly uses a hoop like a wire or even bamboo and sometimes a piece of tougher string to help it float. The combustible material is attached to the middle, and it is this portion that makes the thing fly. For those of us interested in safety, using fire retardants on the paper is recommended. Tissue paper has a very good ability to absorb this, making an extremely fireproof material. In addition, it will also harden the tissue a bit, making it more resistant to punctures and also easier to glue.
These tissue paper balloons are ideal sky balloons. The Chinese call the paper balloons sky balloons since they believe that their prayers get sent to the gods up in the sky using the balloons. It makes this an ideal addition for any occasion, giving a unique experience and adding a new dimension to the occasion. This is even so simple, that it could be made by kids or even in front of them. This could mean that making tissue paper hot air balloons are a good activity for children’s parties. This will not only allow you to provide them a fun experience but also allow them to learn more about physics and the basics of flight.
Since creative professors and teachers have used tissue paper for sky balloons to demonstrate convection to their students, sky balloons have grown from being a simple war message, to classroom material, to an enhancement for all occasions. Try to make one sometime and I am sure that you will like it.
photo credit: Amy L. Riddle
photo credit: ilovememphis
