# How much helium to lift 6 year old boy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947 "2009-10-15T20:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/21 "2009-10-15T23:51:52Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > This is what gets me. If the father designed and built this thing, he musta (or shoulda) known how much this thing could lift. > > Any half assed “backyard engineer” woulda known damn well right off the bat whether his kid could floated away on the thing or not. > > I smell prank for profit or one really stupid balloon maker. I think its a strong possibility the father was just looking to get his mug back (family were apparently former contestants on “Wife Swap”) on TV… If this was indeed a hoax, they ought to horsewhip the shit-eating publicity whore. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/22 "2009-10-16T00:12:01Z")
I can attest from personal experience that a weather balloon will lift a 6 year old. When I was 6 my family visted a weather station and they let me launch one. Everybody was yelling at me to let go like it was a real emergency. Looking back I’m guessing they were holding onto it but it picked me up easily. With that said the pictures of the saucer it looked like it barely lifted itself. They should have known how much lift it was capable of before chasing it around like a bunch of keystone cops. It certainly has the smell of publicity stunt on it. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/23 "2009-10-16T00:26:43Z")
Why in the world was this thing saucer shaped ? There are damn good reasons balloons are generally roundish. Maybe this guy is the Burt Rutan of balloons, but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/24 "2009-10-16T03:01:35Z")
> [@MathGeekRachel](#): > > What sort of flying saucer “engineering” software are you using???!! It’s called “Rhino” and is, of course, not limited to just “flying saucers”. Among other things, my husband has used it to design bagpipes, buildings, and radio control airplanes. The software has an ability to analyze properties of modeled objects if you know how to utilize that feature. > [@](#): > > And why is there such little faith in the public sector that you all think this wasn’t considered immediately, despite the fact that you all obviously thought of it? Yes. > [@](#): > > Okay, so maybe I can see the lack of faith in the public sector, but is everyone here so full of themselves that they think no one involved in the rescue would have done those calculations? Yes. > [@](#): > > The formula for an oblate spheroid (flying saucer shape) is ::V = 4/3 \* pi \* [(radius at width)(radius at width)] \* radius at length:: > > This spheroid measured 20 feet wide by 5 feet tall (or long), so the formula looks like this: Volume = 4/3 \* pi \* (10’ \* 10’) 2.5’, which when solved is 1046.67 cubic feet of Helium. At an approximate lift of 28.2 grams per cubic foot, that’s enough Helium to lift about 65 pounds. Uh… yeah, I think I said that already, didn’t I? > [@](#): > > All that was needed was enough to get him a few feet in the air, and then the wind would have taken him like a kite for a while. Even if it wasn’t fully inflated, the idea that he could have been in the balloon while improbable, was definitely possible. No, I don’t think so. That volume of helium lifts, at most, 65 pounds TOTAL. That would be _including_ the mylar envelope (admittedly not very heavy) and whatever rope/rigging is on it and whatever that plywood or cardboard “pod” thing was _and_ the kid. No, I don’t think it was large enough. And keep in mind that lifting coefficient for helium is _at sea level_ and probably also at standard temperature… given he took off in Colorado it would have been neither of those. > [@billfish678](#): > > Why in the world was this thing saucer shaped ? Cause dad thought it would look cool? > [@](#): > > There are damn good reasons balloons are generally roundish. > > Maybe this guy is the Burt Rutan of balloons, but I doubt it. If Rutan had built a flying saucer it would look even weirder, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/25 "2009-10-16T03:08:11Z")
I’d also like to point out that the balloon in question is not, actually, an “oblate spheroid” but is shaped in such a way that it actually would have less volume than the theoretical spheroid. Since I don’t have all dimensions I can’t be specific, but it certainly would lift _less_ than 65 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/26 "2009-10-16T03:35:03Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Turns out there was no kid inside so the balloon was only lifting itself. ([cite](http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/15/colorado.boy.balloon/index.html)) > > Boy has yet to be found though. Your cite now reports the finding of the little boy. He was hiding in the attic, 'cause he thought he was in trouble. I remember feeling that way about stuff when I was six. Poor kid. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/27 "2009-10-16T10:53:14Z")
Where is “Lawnchair Larry” when you need him? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/28 "2009-10-16T12:25:50Z")
Regrettably, in 1993 Lawnchair Larry launched himself into the afterlife. ---
**Author:** ![Floppy\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@Floppy\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floppy_Joe)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/29 "2009-10-16T15:43:14Z")
How did this balloon measure 20’ diameter? Looking at the pictures, yes, with people running around it, I think saying that it was 15’ would be generous. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/30 "2009-10-16T17:53:28Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > They should have known how much lift it was capable of before chasing it around like a bunch of keystone cops. It certainly has the smell of publicity stunt on it. I don’t know if authorities had an accurate impression of its size when it was still at altitude. In any case, these seems like the kind of situation in which they would rather err on the side of caution. Can you imagine the uproar if they had treated it like a hoax and it wasn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/31 "2009-10-16T17:59:48Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > I don’t know if authorities had an accurate impression of its size when it was still at altitude. In any case, these seems like the kind of situation in which they would rather err on the side of caution. Can you imagine the uproar if they had treated it like a hoax and it wasn’t? Point taken but if they asked dad what the size was then it should have been a quick calculation. they can always use the Civil Air Patrol to chase it cheaply as a matter of safety for restricted airspace. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/32 "2009-10-16T19:27:17Z")
I assumed it was saucer-shaped and not a sphere because you can’t easily create a sphere out of mylar. But if you take two round sheets of mylar, seal the edges, and fill it with helium: presto! A saucer. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/33 "2009-10-16T22:34:51Z")
From an updated article today: > [@](#): > > While the balloon was in the air, the sheriff’s department reached out to a university professor who determined that a balloon of that size would support a child the size of Falcon, Alderden said. They were told the balloon could likely handle a payload of about 80 pounds; the child weighed about 37 pounds. But I still think the dad knew full well the kid wasn’t in it. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/34 "2009-10-16T23:21:00Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > From an updated article today: > > But I still think the dad knew full well the kid wasn’t in it. From my experience, weather balloons assend RAPIDLY. The home movies of the saucer didn’t appear like it had much lift. And any idea that this could be used to track a storm is retarded. That thing wouldn’t survive a sneeze. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/35 "2009-10-17T02:33:48Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > The thing that struck me watching the footage is just how bad the news media is. That episode got full coverage for over an hour, and yet none of the talking heads thought to ask these questions. After it landed, they were still reporting eyewitnesses saying something fell out of it, and they were wringing their hands about the little boy plummeting to his death. > > Why can’t a network with the resources of FOX or CNN have real technical experts handy who can answer questions like this? Or more importantly, how come these supposedly highly educated talking heads are so ignorant of basic math and physics that it didn’t even occur to them to ask the right questions? This is why I don’t watch the news. They’re just interested in ratching up the entertainment value with shots of people’s reactions and suggestive speculation for what happened. Ha, you think they CARE about trying to figure things out? That’s for _nerds_. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/36 "2009-10-17T02:37:21Z")
> [@AWB](#): > > Your cite now reports the finding of the little boy. He was hiding in the attic, 'cause he thought he was in trouble. > > I remember feeling that way about stuff when I was six. Poor kid. Did you miss the part where the dad asks him why he didn’t respond to being called for, and the kid says, “You guys said we did this for the show.” Whoops. What a dumb kid. You won’t find the new playing this up too much. At least at first. They spent so much energy using their serious voice that if they suddenly switched sides the viewers might get a bit cynical about them too. But they’ll enjoy playing that angle soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/37 "2009-10-17T05:15:20Z")
**billfish678** made a very good point above. If the father built that thing, then he damned well knew what its lifting power was, and therefore he knew his kid wasn’t in it. I think this was some kind of publicity stunt or scam. Maybe the family figured this would be their ticket into the lucrative “trainwreck of a family which gets its own show” business. Then you make money on the inevitable fall from ratings, the acrimonious breakup and divorce, and the book deals. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/38 "2009-10-17T05:58:52Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > **billfish678** made a very good point above. If the father built that thing, then he damned well knew what its lifting power was, and therefore he knew his kid wasn’t in it. I think this was some kind of publicity stunt or scam. Maybe the family figured this would be their ticket into the lucrative “trainwreck of a family which gets its own show” business. Then you make money on the inevitable fall from ratings, the acrimonious breakup and divorce, and the book deals. Given the complete lack of discipline with the kids I think it will be a show on Fox called “Juvee Swap”. When I saw the kid jump off the stairs onto the couch and flip off the camera operator I wondered what kind of whack-job the parents were and then I saw the father throwing tantrums like a 2-year-old. ---
**Author:** ![phmurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4491bb/32.png) [@phmurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phmurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/39 "2009-10-17T22:37:05Z")
So lets assume the boy is either 50 or 65 pounds and the altitude he is starting off at is 5,500 feet and the balloon rises to 8,000ft. First question, if the lifting power of the balloon is 65 pounds, and the boy and balloon weigh 65 pounds, how much altitude will it get? What if the combined weight is 50 pounds, what is the altitude at which it will hit equilibrium. Make lots of assumptions, but it was a sunny cool day. I think the dad knew, just by holding on the line, that the balloon couldn’t lift 50 pounds, so this is a hoax. If the kid were in the balloon, it would float about 10 feet above the ground is my guess - total guess. ---
**Author:** ![phmurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4491bb/32.png) [@phmurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phmurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947/40 "2009-10-17T22:40:38Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > From an updated article today: > > But I still think the dad knew full well the kid wasn’t in it. So if the lifting power was 80 lbs and the kid (damn skinny 6 year old) weighed 37? pounds, what would be a rough guess of the altitude equilibrium? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-helium-to-lift-6-year-old-boy/513947.md?page=3)