What did the Montgolfiers initially hypothesize was the active lifting agent based on early smoke containment tests?
Answer
An invisible substance within the smoke
The earliest investigations by the Montgolfier brothers were centered on the visible byproduct of fire: smoke. Having observed that smoke, when channeled or contained, ascended rapidly, they hypothesized that either the smoke itself or an invisible substance residing within the smoke was responsible for generating the lifting force. This initial focus stemmed naturally from their involvement in the paper manufacturing business, making smoke and fire readily observable elements in their workshop environment. This hypothesis preceded their realization that heated air, independent of the specific material burned to create the smoke, was the actual mechanism for buoyancy.
Related Questions
What did the Montgolfiers initially hypothesize was the active lifting agent based on early smoke containment tests?Which material reportedly offered better containment than paper for a given weight during larger, significant experiments?What specific substance was used by the brothers to join the sheets of paper together in the construction of the envelope?During the critical public unmanned flight in Annonay in June 1783, what weight capacity did the large bag successfully demonstrate?Which three living creatures were included as passengers during the September 1783 tethered biological experiment overseen by the Académie des Sciences?What prevailing, yet ultimately incorrect, scientific concepts did the brothers initially try to align their smoke observations with?On what specific date did Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier conduct the first untethered flight in a Montgolfier balloon?What combination of materials was famously used when constructing one of the Montgolfiers' larger balloons for structural integrity?What concept did the Montgolfiers eventually recognize as the true agent of lift, superseding their initial focus on visible smoke?What was the primary experimental focus during the final, crucial phase involving the manned flight on November 21, 1783?