So this is a burning question that I have....hence the HOT air....*groaner!*

It might be a very silly questions but....

If one were to fill a twisting balloon with helium, could one then tie a string to say a poodle balloon and have it walk in the air so to speak?

*hides with shame...tail between the legs*

My first comment would have been one about helium molecules being smaller... then I remembered that most good twisting balloons do say, "helium quality."

I think that the poodle would not be stable - but that hasn't stopped any of us now, has it?

I've had some rounds I was filling with helium along side my 260s at a theatre event this past Christmas and would occassionally use the helium to fill a 260 if I needed on done quickly - they do not float. Dropping a balloon may make it fall slower, but even that isn't really noticeable.

There isn't much air space inside the balloon for the helium to lighten the load enough for it to react the way rounds and mylars do.

Helium also "leaks" thru the surface of the balloon much faster because of the increased surface area. So it shrinks quickly. The weight of the balloon makes it difficult to get the volume needed to offset that. I have played with them and tried inflating them with helium to decorate for my own kids party years ago. They look nice for about 10 min. and like Jolly Well said...they didn't really float on their own. And that was fully inflated. By the time you twist them (giving you even less room for the helium) you just have an increadable shrinking dog who sits on the ground. It would be a sad little sight.

WOW THANKS EVERYONE!!! I was just expecting a simple "no" but you all surprised me with such incredible explanations. You all really know your stuff. Thanks again!

Mahalo (Thank you),
Nikole

Either Qualatex, Conwin or BalloonHQ has an article on their website about this very question and they lay out all the math that shows that there is not enough lift with the small amount of helium you can fit in a 260. If I run across it I will post a link.

Fitz is right. I've even tried it. It really doesn't work for the reason me mentioned. A round balloon holds many more cubic inches of helium, and thereby can easily overcome the weight of the balloon itself.
I know, I was bummed too when I found that out.
Scruffy

I have tried to fill 260 myself a long time ago and it didn't float, but with the floating poddle you can always fill a 9 or 11 inch and tie the poddle on a string attached to the big balloon and it will float.

My estimates:

11" round surface area=380 in. sq. volume=696 cu. in. (approx)

260 surface area=377 (roughly the same as the round) in. sq. volume=188 cu.in. (approx)

So the round has approximately four times the lift od the 260.