How many helium balloons does it take to lift the World Cup trophy?
About 620 balloonsThe World Cup trophy weighs 6.175 kg, and each balloon lifts about 10 g.
It takes about 620 balloons.
How we worked it out
The World Cup trophy weighs 6.175 kg, and each balloon lifts about 10 g. Standard 11-inch party balloons at sea level, about 10 g of lift each. Real life adds a little friction and waste, so treat the number as a solid ballpark rather than a lab result. The constants behind every experiment are on the science page.
Watch it happen
This was one of the five experiments in It Took #22. In the game you guess first, then the experiment plays out with your number: too few and it fails, too many and it overshoots.
Play It Took #22Play today’s experiments
More balloons questions
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift an electric guitar? About 360.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a sloth? About 430.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a cat? About 450.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a bald eagle? About 520.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a red fox? About 650.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a bowling ball? About 730.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a car tire? About 860.
- How many helium balloons does it take to lift a watermelon? About 910.