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Name: Brit
Status: student
Grade: 6-8
Location: CO
Country: USA
Date: Winter 2011-2012
Question:
Do different shaped hot air balloons fly higher, lower, or at the same level as traditionally shaped hot air balloons?


Replies:
Shape makes some difference in the height a balloon will go, because it determines the amount of material needed to enclose a given volume of gas. The ideal shape is spherical, because a sphere has a smaller surface area than any other shape with the same volume.

Tim Mooney


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