If you’re ever curious about why balloons pop so loud, you’ve come to the right place. It’s a natural phenomenon, and is surprisingly quick and easy to understand. To put it simply, it happens when a sharp object pokes a balloon. For example, an orange peel will pop a balloon instantly. This is due to limonene, a colorless liquid hydrocarbon that gives oranges their characteristic smell.
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The sounds from balloon pops are oscillating waves with high amplitude and short duration, peaking at 5 ms after the balloon is popped. These oscillations are reflected by objects in the environment, including fences, grass, and the ground.
Helium
Helium is a Noble Gas, and it is responsible for the loud pops you hear from balloons. When you hold a match to a helium-filled balloon, you will hear it pop as the helium combines with oxygen to produce water vapor. Helium is less dense than hydrogen, which makes it easy for the molecules to escape from a balloon.
Air-filled balloons
Air-filled balloons can make quite a racket. This is due to the sudden change in pressure caused by the rapid expansion of air inside the balloon. The whole process can be observed in just a few seconds.
Fracture in lattice
The rupture of a balloon is caused by a fracture in the lattice, or structure, that supports the balloon. The lattice is made of layers of chitin fibres that are connected by resin-like substances called scleroti. Similarly, the shells of shellfish contain layers of mineral material that are brittle. Fractures in the lattice occur where the interfaces are weak. This is particularly true of linear interfaces, which are particularly prone to failure.
High altitude
One of the reasons why balloons pop so loud is the increase in pressure from high altitude. High altitude balloons are filled with helium or hydrogen and travel up to a constant altitude, sometimes as fast as 1,000 feet per minute. A weather balloon can reach as high as 100,000 feet. At that altitude, balloons can be stretched as wide as a house or car.
Pets puncturing balloons
One of the main reasons why balloons pop so loud is that pets tend to poke them. By poking the taut surface, they can break the material. This rips the surface of the balloon apart, releasing high-pressure air inside and creating a loud bang.
Mylar balloons not as loud as helium
During balloon popping, there is a loud noise. The sound is generated when the torn rubber parts contract and expand at a faster rate than the speed of sound. This results in a large volume of air being released, creating a rapid change in air pressure within the balloon. This results in a sharp, piercing popping sound. Some people may experience a phobia of balloon popping, or globophobia, which is a fear of balloons.
Inflation gas
A slow-motion video shows how loud balloons can be. The balloon’s skin is under tension and the gas inside causes the latex to stretch. When the balloon pops, this stretched latex vibrates. As the gas escapes, the tension and vibrations build up. As the latex rips, the edges of the balloon collapse, radiating noise.
