math - 3-9-2012 at 01:36
Hello,
I've been inflating a balloon with hydrogen gas and noticed that when getting an ear near the rubber surface of the balloon, I'd hear the fizzling
going on in the underneath flask.
However, while the fizzling was no loud sound, getting the ear an inch or so from the balloon, would give an uncomfortable feel of sound
impairment/deafness, as if the ear was bombarded by a barely hearable yet loud frequency (though I can't be sure about this and am just speculating a
possible cause).
Is anybody familiar with this effect? Or does this happen due to hydrogen has escaping from the balloon and creating pressure on the timpane?
Thank you
platedish29 - 3-9-2012 at 09:11
AS yet I didn't really understand what you trying to mean, you inflating the baloon and the ougoing gas makes music out of the hydrogen
I don't get it, perhaps you could be clearer in describing the experience a lil more?
I just know helium can make your voice up to much much higher tone, but that obviously is impaired by the mechanical limits of the vocal chords.
math - 3-9-2012 at 15:59
Sorry if I didn't explain it clear enough.
Imagine this:
a flask containing Al metal and NaOH in water, reacting and producing H2 gas.
A balloon attached on the flask's neck and inflating.
If you get an ear near the inflating balloon, you'd hear the fizzling coming from the flask, though if you get the ear closer, you'd experience an
uncomfortable feel, like deafness/sound impairment of some kind.
I don't know if this is produced from the escaping H2 diffusing through the balloon or from the fizzling sound propagation in H2. I'm more tempted to
think about the former.
Thank you
math - 8-7-2013 at 15:21
Anybody? I just remembered about this unanswered question of mine 
Thank you
zed - 9-7-2013 at 12:08
Dunno. Hydrogen gas has approximately the same density as Helium gas. Helium is well known for its effect on the transmission of sound.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-does-in...