What happens if you fill a basketball with helium?

Asked by: Andrea Licata

The helium is lighter than air so the ball will have slightly more uplift for it’s weight so feel like it was in less gravity – so bounce higher (if you throw it at the ground at the same speed rather than drop it from a height). This would be a small effect probably changing the weight of the ball by about 22g.

Can you inflate basketball with helium?

How would table-tennis balls or footballs behave if filled with helium? At atmospheric pressure, one litre of helium, being lighter than air, will only lift about 1 gram. So filling a small ball with helium would have a negligible effect on its behaviour. It certainly would not float.

What are basketballs filled with?

Nearly all basketballs have an inflatable inner rubber bladder, generally wrapped in layers of fiber and then covered with a surface made either from leather (traditional), rubber, or a synthetic composite. As in most inflatable balls, there is a small opening that allows the pressure to be increased or decreased.

Can you fill a basketball with water?

There. It's just too easy so why not think of something else to fill a basketball with and then I came up with the idea of water generalize.

What type of gas is in a basketball?

It is mostly nitrogen and oxygen with some other gases like carbon dioxide, argon and water vapor mixed in, but it’s all matter. All that stuff takes up space. We know that air is all around us but because it’s invisible without an obvious size or shape, it is difficult to observe its properties and how it behaves.

Can you put helium in a ball?

And since we're only trying to get to about 12 psi I think it'll work out a single soccer ball like this is not gonna hold a ton of volume.

How do you make a basketball explode?

If you overfill your basketball with an air compressor or similar device, too much air may cause the basketball to explode. You can test this by either rebounded it from six feet above the ground or by simply bouncing the ball—if it bounces to your chest, it has too much air.

Is it OK to deflate a basketball?

Deflating it completely can sometimes cause the leather or synthetic panels to separate and ruin the ball. It is not something that will definitely happen but something to look out for. Just make sure you deflate it slowly and keep an eye on the ball. There is no need to worry about this for all rubber balls.

Can I pump my basketball at a gas station?

Going to a bike shop or gas station is a good idea as they have air pumps and might even have the attachment you need. This method is very easy and simple but could take a while to find a gas station or bike shop nearby. Also, they might not have the needle attachment so it couldn’t hurt to call ahead.

What ball is used in NBA?

Spalding became the official ball of the NBA in 1983. Made from the finest full grain leather and meeting the most stringent quality and performance standards, the NBA Game Ball is embedded in the sport as much as Michael Jordan or LeBron James.

Are NBA balls bigger than college?

The official size of the basketball used by the NBA is 29.5 inches in circumference. That’s the same size used throughout men’s college and high school basketball leagues.

What are NBA basketballs made of?

In 2006, the NBA changed its game ball for the first time in 35 years to a microfiber composite from the leather.

When did basketballs turn orange?

In 1957, Hinkle worked with the Spalding Company to develop a new basketball. The orange-colored ball made its debut in the 1958 NCAA Finals in Louisville, Kentucky. Impressed with the easy-to-see color, the NCAA adopted the ball and is now a standard for all basketball organizations.

Why is a basketball orange?

Back before the 1950s all basketballs were dark brown. Until Butler University’s head basketball coach Tony Hinkle decided the brown color was hard for everyone to see. The players, the fans, the coaches, and refs all complained about it. So he decided to choose a much brighter more visible color, orange!