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Helium
gas rentals and interesting stuff about helium
| Auckland
helium gas cylinder hire |
| Helium
tank + regulator (inflates approx 40 balloons) |
$75.00 |
| Helium
tank + regulator (inflates approx 100 balloons) |
$165.00 |
| Helium
tank + regulator (inflates approx 500 balloons) |
$550.00 |
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We’re
all familiar with helium, the very light gas that makes balloons
and airships float in the air. Helium has an important safety
advantage—it cannot burn or explode like hydrogen. Helium
is the second lightest chemical element, with many unique properties.
It is so named because it was first detected in light patterns
in the sun (Greek helios) before it was detected on earth. All
gases will condense into a liquid if cooled enough, but helium
has the lowest condensation point of any substance (–269°C
or –452°F).
Unlike
other elements, it will never freeze, no matter how cold it is,
except under high pressure. Also, liquid helium cooled below –271°C
(–456°F) forms a unique phase called a super fluid,
which flows perfectly, without any resistance (viscosity).
The
helium/oxygen mixture (heliox) makes the voice very high-pitched,
because sound travels much faster in helium than in air—a
favourite party trick using helium-filled balloons.
So
why are helium and hydrogen so much lighter than air? It's because
the hydrogen and helium atoms are lighter than a nitrogen atom.
They have fewer electrons, protons and neutrons than nitrogen
atoms do, and that makes them lighter (the approximate atomic
weight of hydrogen is 1, helium is 4 and nitrogen is 14).
Approximately
the same number of atoms of each of these elements fills approximately
the same amount of space. Therefore, the gases made of lighter
atoms are lighter.
Balloons
The
word balloon actually derives from the French word ballon, meaning
large ball. Originally balloons were made from animal bladders
- In the "olden days", especially in the European regions,
jesters were said to sometimes inflate the entrails of recently
butchered animals and "entertain" with them. The bladders,
intestines, and sometimes the stomach, were strong enough that,
despite their thinness, they could be manipulated into amusing
shapes.
About
Latex Balloons
Latex balloons are 100% biodegradable - Latex balloons are manufactured
from natural rubber; the white sap is extracted from the Haevae
Brasilienis tree and collected in liquid form, which is then referred
to as latex. Latex balloons are 100% biodegradable.
Latex
is collected without harming the tree by using environmentally
safe, age-old process similar to that used for collecting the
sap from maple trees for syrup. The tropical rain forest trees
are very valuable and a well-protected natural resource. These
precious trees play an important ecological role in the earth’s
fragile ecological balance. They remove carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere and this aids in preventing global warming.
Latex
balloons are made with 100% natural rubber which means that the
balloons can biodegrade completely. The degradation process begins
immediately the balloons are inflated and gets quicker as the
balloons are exposed to the light. Within an hour the balloon
takes on an opaque or milky look, known as oxidation. The length
of the degradation process depends on the exposure to UV light,
but according to scientific research the length of this process
is approximate the same as a leaf from an oak tree under similar
environmental conditions.
"Qualatex
latex balloons are made from 100% natural latex — not plastic."
Why
Latex Balloons go bang when they burst!
Most people believe that the loud noise you hear when Latex balloons
burst is due to the sudden release of high pressure gas contained
inside the balloon. The fact is that, the bang is caused by the
tightly stretched ends of the torn Latex balloon pieces exceeding
the speed of sound - creating a "sonic boom - as they quickly
snap back to their pre-inflated size. When a tiny crack develops
in the surface of an inflated Latex balloon - the resulting rapid
release of energy stored in the stretched latex accelerates the
crack to near the speed of sound in rubber. Since this speed is
much higher than the speed of sound in air, the running crack
actually breaks the sound barrier! The loudness of the bang is
usually dependent on how much the latex is stretched before it
bursts. This is why even small Latex balloons stretched to their
limits will often make a much louder BANG when they burst than
a larger balloon that is not stretched as tightly.
Party
Balloons
Party balloons offer a speedy and easy way to add fun to your
parties. Balloons - available in many colours - shapes and sizes
are the ultimate party decorations. You can draw faces on them
with markers and paints. You can use printed balloons to convey
those personal messages to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries
and they can also be used in party games.
The
Life of a Balloon
The life of all balloons depends on their atmosphere and the care
they are given by the recipient. Latex balloons prefer a cool
room and they don't like anything sharp including rough ceilings,
or pet claws and teeth. Mylar balloons are pretty tough but will
look wrinkled and out of shape if it gets too cold. They also
don't like real hot weather because they tend to pop their seams.
Balloons
that float when filled with helium
When rubber balloons are filled with helium so that they float,
they typically retain their buoyancy for only a day or so. The
enclosed helium atoms escape through small pores in the latex
which are larger than the helium atoms. Balloons filled with air
usually hold their size and shape much longer. Foil balloons retain
helium longer (and can be re-filled several times). A foil balloon
can float for over 2 weeks so makes a great floating gift item.
Let
us create something magical with helium balloons for your celebration!
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