Balloons

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