A
balloon is a flexible bag normally filled with a gas, such
as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide or air. Some balloons
are purely decorative, others are used for specific purposes.
Early balloons were made of dried animal bladders.
Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, chloroprene or a nylon fabric. The modern balloon was invented by Michael Faraday in the 1800s, but mass production did not occur until the 1930s. A balloon's unique properties including its low density and relative inexpensivness have lead to a wide range of applications. Party balloons are mostly made of natural latex tapped from rubber trees and can be filled with air, helium, water, or any other suitable liquid or gas. The rubber allows for elasticity which makes the volume adjustable. Most of this rubber is made from recycled material, such as old tires and tennis shoes. Filling with air is done with the mouth, with a manual or electric inflator (such as a hand pump) or a source of compressed air. When rubber balloons are filled with helium so that they float they can hold their lift for only a short time depending on the size of the balloon, the time can vary from 18 hours to several days. The enclosed helium atoms escape through small pores in the latex which are larger than the helium atoms. Balloons filled with air can hold their size and shape much longer. |
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Medicine
Angioplasty is a surgical procedure in which very small balloons are inserted into blocked or partially blocked blood vessels near the heart. Once in place, the balloon can be inflated to clear or compress arterial plaque, and to stretch the walls of the vein. A small stent can be inserted in its place to keep the vessel open after the balloon's removal. See myocardial infarction. Certain catheters have balloons
at their tip to keep them from slipping out, for example the balloon
of a Foley catheter is insufflated when the catheter is inserted
into the urinary bladder and secures its position. |
Online Resources: |
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