If four balloons A, B, C and D are filled with hydrogen, oxygen, heliu

If four balloons A, B, C and D are filled with hydrogen, oxygen, helium and nitrogen gases respectively and left in air, which balloon reaches to the highest distance from the Earth?

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Balloon A

Balloon B

Balloon C

Balloon D

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Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2012

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A balloon filled with a gas lighter than air will rise. The higher it will reach (or the more buoyant it will be) depends on the density of the gas relative to the density of the surrounding air. The lighter the gas, the greater the buoyant force. The average molecular weight of air is approximately 29 g/mol.

Comparing the molecular/atomic weights of the gases: Hydrogen (H₂) ≈ 2 g/mol, Oxygen (O₂) ≈ 32 g/mol, Helium (He) ≈ 4 g/mol, Nitrogen (N₂) ≈ 28 g/mol. Oxygen is heavier than air and will sink. Nitrogen is slightly lighter than air. Hydrogen and Helium are significantly lighter than air. Hydrogen is the lightest among the given gases.

Since Hydrogen is the lightest gas among the options and significantly lighter than air, a balloon filled with hydrogen will experience the greatest buoyant force and is expected to rise to the highest altitude compared to balloons filled with Oxygen, Helium, or Nitrogen (assuming balloon material weight and other factors are equal).

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