Helium Balloons

One set of balloons in two different settings. In one setting, the balloons are full and stretched out. The helium in the balloon has expanded in the warm house. In the second setting, the balloons are droopy and starting to fall. This setting is outside in the cold, crisp air. The helium changes in different temperatures. It expands in the warm room but shrinks in the cold air causing the balloons to look differently in each setting.

Driving Question

• Why do these balloons look different in each picture?

Probing Questions

• What do you notice about the shape of the balloons?
• What do you notice about the location of the balloons?
• Do you know any other objects that change appearance when you put them in two different locations?
• What do you think would happen if the balloons were put in a hot environment?

Classroom Suggestions

Students could:

• Practice putting items in warm and cold areas and record the change they see in the object. For example, an ice cube sitting on a desk versus floating in warm water.
• Take a helium balloon outside and bring it back in. Have students record the changes they notice taking place by using their senses.
• Using a variety of objects made of various materials, collect data on what happens when you place those objects in the freezer for a short or long period of a time.

Relevant Related Resources

Heating and Cooling | Generation Genius: Lesson plans for seeing changes in heating and cooling objects. This resource has limited free access. It contains a video, vocabulary, discussion questions, reading material and assessments.
Heat It Up, Cool It Down | Ward Science: This is a standard based lesson plan on heating and cooling objects. This lesson is an experiment with heating and cooling different objects. There is a worksheet to write observations as well as to collect and graph data.​​​​​​​
Air Balloon, Freezing Weather | YouTube: A short video showing the changes of a helium balloon in freezing weather.