Amazing Sky Lanterns - By: Jorge Arturos

The sight of sky lanterns is intriguing; they never cease to amaze me. I always wonder how they work, what makes them rise up and stay there for several minutes before making their descent. I know it must be some kind of physics laws and related principles but more detailed explanation of how this special object works further expresses the wonders of science.

Sky Lanterns have become common sight in our environment today. They are usually seen in ceremonies and anniversaries. Only few people would claim they are not mesmerised or enchanted by this sight. As they lit up the skies either at night or during the day time, you cannot but acclaim this is physics in action. I did a little study and came up to what best explains how this object is lifted into the atmosphere and stays there for the duration of between twenty to thirty minutes.

The simple principle is that of hot air rising towards a cooler environment. When air that is engulfed in a material body is heated up, the immediate reaction or direct consequence is that it rises up. This is because hot air is lighter than the cool dense air; hence the idea of lighting up the sky lantern. The body of this lantern contains air which is collected into the open space bounded or enclosed by the rounded inner body of the lantern. Hence when the lantern is removed from its packet and held in such a way as to collect air, this air continually fills in until it gets full. The air collected by this process is then to be subjected to the flame emanating from the lighted wick.

The material of these sky lanterns also has a role to play. They must be made up light material, light enough to be lifted into the air, they also must also be bag-like in form to contain heated air. Combustible materials should be avoided as much as possible to ensure they don’t get caught up in the fire. However, around the base the right materials must be used to avoid melting in the face of the fire.

The handling and use of the sky lanterns just like every other object and engineering device is something the users must be careful about. These products come with instruction manuals and safety instructions which must be strictly adhered to. Although there are a low number of occurrences of accidents and mishaps from these lanterns, careful use must be encouraged.

Several companies haven embraced this simple principle of physics and have gone into rapid production of sky lanterns. This is because of the increased demand for it. In Asia, where these lanterns were originally birthed and are still very much in use, a lot of these companies abound but with their products and services can be accessed online. One can see the different colours, shapes and sizes available and can thus make their pick.

Of a truth, science and advances in technology have aided in making life easier. Evident in the some technological tools and equipment which abound in our world; that of the sky lantern has moved from being just a crude means of communication to a renowned tool of beautification and other importantly related functions; many thanks to Physics in this case.

About the Author

Jorge is an avid traveller and has been exposed to sky lanterns during the course of his travels to Asia.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Jorge-Arturos/177329

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