| A balloon is nothing but a flexible bag made from | | | | All balloons can be easily filled with air, by blowing |
| materials like rubber, polychloroprene, latex and | | | | air into it. Now air pumps are used to inflate |
| nylon fabric, which is filled with gases like | | | | balloons. When balloons are filled up with helium |
| hydrogen, helium, nitrous oxide or air. Balloons are | | | | gas, the balloon float, i.e. they try to rise up as |
| generally used for various decoration purposes for | | | | the helium's weight is very light. When helium is |
| celebrations and parties. But some balloons are | | | | filled up inside the latex balloons, the gas remains |
| used for other purposes such as military, defense, | | | | inside only for some time and eventually the |
| medical treatment, meteorology and | | | | helium gas moves out slowly through the walls of |
| transportation. He word 'balloon' was derived from | | | | the latex balloon as the helium atoms are smaller |
| the French word 'ballon' which means large ball. In | | | | than the pores of the latex walls so they easily |
| Latin 'ballone' means ball and from the Middle | | | | pass through them! This process is called diffusion. |
| English both 'bal' and 'beall' means ball. | | | | Later in the year 1970, more costly balloons were |
| The first balloon was invented by a priest | | | | manufactured / invented which are long-lasting |
| Bartolomeu de Gusmao and it was exhibited | | | | and they are called as foil balloons. These foil |
| during an exhibition on 8th August, 1709 in Lisbon. | | | | balloons are thin, less permeable, unstretchable |
| Michael Faraday invented the rubber balloon in | | | | and made from metalized plastic balloons. Foil |
| 1824 which was filled with hydrogen gas and was | | | | balloons are very attractive and has shiny |
| used in experimentation. J.G Ingram invented the | | | | surface, often printed with messages and designs, |
| first latex balloons in 1847 in London, England. The | | | | which are used for various occasions, celebrations |
| mass production of latex balloons was | | | | and parties. An interesting feature of foil balloons |
| manufactured around 1930s. Today the party | | | | are they are light weight, hence increases the |
| balloons are made up of natural latex from the | | | | buoyancy and they are able to retain the helium |
| trees which yield rubber. These balloons were filled | | | | gas for many weeks! Balloons are so much fun, |
| up with ordinary air and helium gas, and even | | | | and we could never think of any celebrations or |
| sometimes with water for fun and other suitable | | | | parties without these cute balloons. |
| gases. | | | | |