# What can I do with a 4 foot balloon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434 "2007-02-16T01:42:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/1 "2007-02-16T01:42:19Z")
I came across some balloons in a cheapie shop the other day that claim to inflate to 4 feet in diameter (and judging from the deflated size, this seems not an unreasonable claim). I bought one, because… well… they’re 4 FOOT BALLOONS! OK, so now what? I work with a couple of children’s groups (ages 8 to 10) so I thought: -some sort of passing game, but there are a couple of lively characters who are _bound_ to burst it really early on. -Cover it with strips of glue-soaked newpaper and make a 4 foot papier mache sphere, but… then what? Paint is as a model of the Earth, but it’ll be too big to go through a door. -Inflate it with HeliHi, attach a plastic bottle with a message in it and let it go - see if we can get a response from somewhere far away. So what can I do with a 4 foot balloon, or more than one of them? ---
**Author:** ![29car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ebca7d/32.png) [@29car](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/29car)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/2 "2007-02-16T01:44:50Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] So what can I do with a 4 foot balloon [/QUOTE] Shave its’ belly with a rusty razor? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/3 "2007-02-16T01:49:29Z")
Blow i up and take it to a science fiction convention as a celebrity. Tell people it’s “Rover” from **The Prisoner**. (They actually did this at a really low-budget SF convention I attended.) ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/4 "2007-02-16T02:22:10Z")
I think you are asking the wrong people. Break the kids up onto smaller groups, and have them come up with ideas. After a short period of time, they can vote on any idea but their own. A lesson in brain storming and democracy, with a fun out come. If the balloons are really cheap, and /or the group of kids is small enough to manage, give each one a balloon as a reward for taking part… regards FML ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/5 "2007-02-16T02:43:49Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] -some sort of passing game, but there are a couple of lively characters who are _bound_ to burst it really early on. [/QUOTE] Buy a couple dozen more of these balloons, inflate with helium and see if you can float one of these children away. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/6 "2007-02-16T04:05:28Z")
Spherical volume = (pi\*d^3)/6 = (3.1428 \* 4^3)/6 = (3.1428 \* 64)/6 = (201.1392)/6 = 33.5232 cubic feet \* 28.316846592 Litres / cubic foot \* 1 kilogram / litre \* 2.2 lbs/ kilogram = 2,088.39688568046 Lb WATER BALLOON!!! ---
**Author:** ![toadbriar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@toadbriar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadbriar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/7 "2007-02-16T04:10:26Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] -Cover it with strips of glue-soaked newpaper and make a 4 foot papier mache sphere, but… then what? [/QUOTE] Cover it with colorful strips of frilled tissue paper, fill it with toys and candy, hang it up, and then bash it to pieces. You really need to ask?? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/8 "2007-02-16T04:15:29Z")
[The Lawn Chair Man](http://www.flyaboveall.com/lawnchairman.htm) or, if you want to try something less crazy: [Balloon v1.0](http://vpizza.org/~jmeehan/balloon/) > [@](#): > > This is the story of how I designed, built, launched, and recovered a high-altitude weather balloon. Actually, the term “weather balloon” might be a bit of a misnomer, because aside from the physical latex balloon, and the payload’s ability to measure temperature, this project bears little resemblance to a traditional weather balloon. The design and engineering process encompassed more disciplines than anything I’d ever undertaken before – system engineering, software design, hardware design, basic electrical concepts, radio and RF engineering, and even some plumbing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/9 "2007-02-16T08:57:46Z")
[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus] I think you are asking the wrong people. Break the kids up onto smaller groups, and have them come up with ideas. After a short period of time, they can vote on any idea but their own. A lesson in brain storming and democracy, with a fun out come. If the balloons are really cheap, and /or the group of kids is small enough to manage, give each one a balloon as a reward for taking part… regards FML [/QUOTE] An outstanding suggestion, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/10 "2007-02-16T10:28:38Z")
[QUOTE=2gigch1] Spherical volume = (pi\*d^3)/6 = (3.1428 \* 4^3)/6 = (3.1428 \* 64)/6 = (201.1392)/6 = 33.5232 cubic feet \* 28.316846592 Litres / cubic foot \* 1 kilogram / litre \* 2.2 lbs/ kilogram = 2,088.39688568046 Lb WATER BALLOON!!! [/QUOTE] Not very likely to remain spherical (or indeed, _intact_) though, at least not here on Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/11 "2007-02-16T11:11:45Z")
Launch things with it! Hold it near the knot in one hand. With the other hand push an spherical object (marble, gum-ball, tennis ball, golf ball…ice cube? etc) from the other side and grab it from inside with the first hand. It should now look like a large donut on the top side, or the some depiction of a blackhole in a science book. Aim. Let go. I bet a large balloon will send a marble quite a long way. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/12 "2007-02-16T13:56:49Z")
Is there anybody you want to drop a [giant ball of oil](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voice_(Seinfeld_episode)) on? They’ll be slippier than an eel!! ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/13 "2007-02-16T19:07:01Z")
Sorry. When I saw the title “What can I do with a 4 foot balloon?” I immediately thought of [this.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JllHArFmhik) The woman of my dreams. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/14 "2007-02-16T19:22:02Z")
[QUOTE=2gigch1] Spherical volume = (pi\*d^3)/6 = (3.1428 \* 4^3)/6 = (3.1428 \* 64)/6 = (201.1392)/6 = 33.5232 cubic feet \* 28.316846592 Litres / cubic foot \* 1 kilogram / litre \* 2.2 lbs/ kilogram = 2,088.39688568046 Lb WATER BALLOON!!! [/QUOTE] I believe you, but boy that sounds odd. A four-foot diameter sphere weighs a ton? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/15 "2007-02-16T19:44:22Z")
[This](http://www.gpsboomerang.com/) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/16 "2007-02-16T19:57:14Z")
Scatter a few on your front lawn, so your neighbors will think elephants had an orgy there last night. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/17 "2007-02-16T20:55:03Z")
Can’t go wrong with the [classics](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=160851&highlight=blimps) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-do-with-a-4-foot-balloon/392434/18 "2007-02-17T03:36:47Z")
\*\*[Test Your Defenses](http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=257402007) \*\* > [@](#): > > **Balloons to float above Pentagon to test defences** > > WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three large balloons will float above the Pentagon on Saturday as the U.S. U.S. Defence Department tests its chemical and biological weapons defences, department officials said on Friday…