gosner’s Recent Comments

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  Un-Kudos

  San Diego used to have an architecture/planning award series called "Orchids & Onions" (maybe they still do?).  Bet you could think of something equally clever...On ... and all we got were 'clean energy' promises ... posted 9 months ago 5 Responses

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  "Weighing" the air

  As a hot air balloonist, I am very aware of the "weight" of air.  After all, we fly by filling a balloon with heated air, which weighs less than (but NOT zero) the surrounding air, and therefore floats.  Same principle as a boat--it may weigh a lot, but it's lighter than the equivalent volume of water, so it floats to the top.

  Another reason I am aware of the mass  (to use the Science word)of the air is this:  if you ever stand in front of the seemingly weightless balloon as it floats a foot or two off the surface, and it is moving toward you, get out of the way!  It will mow you down like a semi.  The balloon and basket and the people in it have some weight/mass, but the big item is the air inside the balloon--about 3 tons of air!!

  If you have ever seen a hot air balloon, here's a way to visualize the "weight" of CO2:  Balloons come in a range of sizes, but I'll use the typical sport balloon her for example, a "size 7."  This balloon contains 77,000 cubic feet of air.  At sea level, 77,000 cubic feet of air weighs 6237 pounds!  CO2 is actually a bit heavier than air, so if I filled my balloon with pure CO2 (at sea level, standard temperature, blah, blah, the gas inside would weigh/mass 9562 pounds, or nearly 5 tons.

  Of course, the CO2 in the atmosphere is mixed in with all the other gases.

  So there you have it--if you want a visual image, 5 tons of CO2 is just about an (unheated) hot-air balloon full.On Umbra on calculating CO2 weight posted 1 year, 3 months ago 19 Responses