What weighs more? Part II

[goneboatin]

What weighs more:
A tanker truck full of helium or a tanker truck empty?
I don't have an answer. No one will stand by their answer.

[welk2party]

I am going to say a tanker full of helium. Even though helium is lighter than air, it still must be compressed in a container of the truck creating a volume heavier than air.

[Cheap Thrills]

is the helium compressed ?
C.T. :wink:

[goneboatin]

I would have to agree with Welktoparty that if the helium is compressed it would weigh more, but at some point does the helium go from lifting to loading?

[Tom Foolery]

I would think that a tanker truck filled with helium at atmospheric pressure would be the lightest. Once the tank is pressurized beyond atmospheric pressure the the weight will increase and at some pressure, will equal the weight of air that would normally fill the tank and any pressure greater than that and the tank will weigh more than air.

[welk2party]

I would say it depends on the storage device. Balloons for example strectch and carry enough volume to create the desired shape and size and create lift by replacing the air inside. If the container is solid and inflexible, I believe you can have more density or volume which would create weight.

[welk2party]

I would think that a tanker truck filled with helium at atmospheric pressure would be the lightest. Once the tank is pressurized beyond atmospheric pressure the the weight will increase and at some pressure, will equal the weight of air that would normally fill the tank and any pressure greater than that and the tank will weigh more than air.
Basically what I was trying to say!:cool:

[coolchange]

The tanker with air weighs more. If you compress the helium there is a point at which the helium would weigh the same as ncompressed air. but then you are adding a vairiable to half the equation that you are not adding to the other at which point the atmospherical repetitibility of the constant is in direct relationship to the inebriation of the research alchemist and is therefore a non-repeatable test in a non blind study and is thusly considered a flawed hypothesis.

[welk2party]

but then you are adding a vairiable to half the equation that you are not adding to the other at which point the atmospherical repetitibility of the constant is in direct relationship to the inebriation of the research alchemist and is therefore a non-repeatable test in a non blind study and is thusly considered a flawed hypothesis.
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_28_113.gif ('http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008')

[Pointerman]

Well, considering helium is transported in liquid form the tanker with the helium would definitely weigh more. Helium is almost 8 lbs. per gallon in liquid form. If you pumped gas into the tanker it would definitely be lighter on a scale than an empty truck.
http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu/services/helium.html

[goneboatin]

That last link took all the fun out of the question.

[ahhell]

whatever it weighs, helium is freekin' cold at -209.86 celsius ........and its cool to inhale , then call your boss on the phone and tell him(her) your not feeling well!!!:D
we use it to keep MRI scanners cold (super conducting magnets)

[RiverToysJas]

I don't know why you are all saying that compressed Helium weighs more. The Good/Year Blimp is full of compressed Helium and it's lighter than air. It's not at a very high pressure, but it is compressed.
RTJas :D

[MRS FLYIN VEE]

ah haw.. very good.. kind of like a fart.. LOL!! :yuk: :D :D

[mickeyfinn]

The answer is definitely the tanker "full" of helium. This would imply that the tanker is "Loaded" for hauling. In order to expend the least dollars/pound of material the chemical gas company is going to haul the helium as a liquid and "vaporize it back to its gaseous state. As a liquid the helium will have a significant weight. If you want to get technical you also stated that you were comparing it to an empty truck. In this case you would have to pull a vaccuum on the tank in order to create that condition, otherwise your "empty truck" would in truth be hauling a load of atmosphere compressed in accordance with the altitude at which it was sealed. Other wise the amount of "atmosphere" stored in the truck will change based on altitude if the storage is open.

[LUVNLIFE]

Pointerman you beat me to it. That is exactly what I was going to say. Good job;)

[sorry dog]

Is the truck really empty?

[ROZ]

Originally posted by sorry dog
Is the truck really empty? AND...
Is it the same truck, trailer, and driver weight? How about the Truck's gas tanks, do they have the same amount of deisel?
:D

[Flying Tiger]

Liquid helium in the truck,, the truck would weigh more,, but it's measured by advorpus weight which is 14oz to the lb.
The truck weight is 16oz to the lb.

[beer hunter]

Originally posted by mickeyfinn
The answer is definitely the tanker "full" of helium. This would imply that the tanker is "Loaded" for hauling. In order to expend the least dollars/pound of material the chemical gas company is going to haul the helium as a liquid and "vaporize it back to its gaseous state. As a liquid the helium will have a significant weight. If you want to get technical you also stated that you were comparing it to an empty truck. In this case you would have to pull a vaccuum on the tank in order to create that condition, otherwise your "empty truck" would in truth be hauling a load of atmosphere compressed in accordance with the altitude at which it was sealed. Other wise the amount of "atmosphere" stored in the truck will change based on altitude if the storage is open.
But if comparing the weights of the "empty tanker" i.e. 14.7 psi absolute, and if the helium tanker was loaded to the same pressure, the helium tanker would actually weight less if the difference could be measured on a scale. :)

[sorry dog]

But if it's really empty then what's inside weighs nothing, right?
For some reason this thread reminds me of how many forum members does it take to change a lightbulb...

[Dr. Eagle]

Originally posted by Cheap Thrills
is the helium compressed ?
C.T. :wink:
Usually liquified.......