How It Works

HOW HOT-AIR BALLOONS FLY

he science that enables hot-air balloons to soar through the skies comes down to one fundamental principle: heat rises. To turn this fact of physics into flight, hot-air balloons are equipped with powerful burners. When fired up, these heat the air molecules inside the huge canopy. The energy and distance between each of these molecules increases with the heat, causing the air within the balloon to expand. The result is a pocket

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Editor Ben Biggs Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook Production Editor Nikole Robinson Senior Staff Writer Scott Dutfield Staff Writer Ailsa Harvey Editor-in-Chief Tim Williamson Sascha Pare, Harry Baker, Patrick Pester, Owen Jarus, Emily Cooke, Andrew Ma

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