The Effect of Temperature on Balloons Behavior

Observation

When balloons filled with helium are exposed to different temperatures, they exhibit changes in behavior. As per the ideal gas equation, the volume of the balloon is directly proportional to the temperature. This means that at constant pressure, an increase in temperature leads to an increase in volume, while a decrease in temperature results in a decrease in volume.

Explanation

As stated in the question, when a balloon filled with helium is placed in an area with warm air, the warm balloon will expand due to the increase in temperature. This expansion causes the warm balloon to become larger and less dense, allowing it to rise easily in the air. On the other hand, when a balloon is placed in a freezer, the cold temperature causes the balloon to shrink. The decrease in temperature results in a decrease in volume, making the cold balloon more dense and causing it to sink.

Therefore, in the given scenario, the students most likely observe that the warm balloon expands and rises, while the cold balloon shrinks and sinks.