What was the initial, incorrect scientific reason the Montgolfiers attributed lift to?
Answer
The rising agent was a specific element or gas they termed "smoke gas"
Although their creation was functionally a hot air balloon relying on heated air being less dense than cool ambient air, the Montgolfier brothers operated under a scientifically flawed premise initially. They observed smoke rising and hypothesized that the smoke itself contained a distinct lifting agent or element. They formally named this supposed substance 'Montgolfier gas' or 'smoke gas.' This misconception was the primary scientific driver behind their early experiments, even though the true principle of operation is thermodynamic, relating to air expansion and density changes caused by the direct heat source.
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