| A flexible bag filled with helium, hydrogen, | | | | • Released balloons pose a serious |
| nitrous oxide or air is called a balloon. | | | | hazard to animals through ingestion or |
| Dried animal bladders were used as early | | | | entanglement. |
| balloons. Rubber, latex, chloroprene or nylon | | | | |
| fabrics are used to make modern balloons. | | | | • Latex balloons are dangerous to sea |
| Though balloons are decorative in nature it | | | | creatures. Its elasticity remains for 12 |
| is used for meteorology, medical treatment, | | | | months or more when exposed to sea water. |
| military defence and even transportation. | | | | |
| | | | Art in balloons |
| History | | | | |
| | | | Sculpture balloons are made by balloon |
| | | | artists who are entertainers. Hundreds of |
| | | | helium balloons are used to create balloon |
| • Michael Faraday invented the rubber | | | | sculptures by decorators. They are commonly |
| balloon in 1824. | | | | used as table decorations. To keep them from |
| | | | floating away a ribbon is curled and added |
| • J. G. Ingram of London (1847) first | | | | with a weight. |
| manufactured latex balloons. Mass production | | | | |
| started only in 1930. | | | | Water balloons |
| | | | |
| Balloons as decorative | | | | These thin small rubber balloons which can be |
| | | | easily broken are used by children. |
| Party balloons are made of natural latex, | | | | |
| recycled material such as old tyres and | | | | Rocket balloons These balloons are made by |
| tennis shoes. The air is filled with the | | | | releasing standard toy balloons into the air |
| mouth, manual or electric inflator. Balloons | | | | with the mouth of the balloon left open. They |
| filled with air hold their size and shape | | | | can be used as alternatives to fire works. |
| longer when compared to helium filled | | | | |
| balloons. To reduce helium leakage (to | | | | Flying Machines |
| increase float time to a week or longer) the | | | | |
| interior of the balloons should be treated | | | | Since the 18 th century large balloons filled |
| with a polymer solution. | | | | with hot air or helium were used as flying |
| | | | machines. The earliest flights used helium |
| Foil balloons have attractive, shiny, | | | | which was heated with a flame. |
| reflective surfaces printed with colour | | | | |
| pictures for gifts and parties. | | | | Balloons in medicine |
| | | | |
| Balloons and its hazards: | | | | A surgical procedure in which very small |
| | | | balloons are inserted into blocked or |
| | | | partially blocked blood vessels near the |
| | | | heart is called angioplasty. Catheters that |
| • Foil balloons pose environmental | | | | have balloons at their tip to keep them from |
| hazards since the nylon used is not | | | | slipping out are called balloon catheters. |
| biodegradable. Power outages are caused | | | | When the catheter is inserted into the |
| because released foil balloons get entangled | | | | urinary bladder and secures its position the |
| in power lines. | | | | balloon of a Foley catheter is inflated. |
| | | | |