Question

If we take an inflated and deflated balloon and throw them
vertically upwards, the deflated balloon should land first, because it has air and air has mass, but
the deflated one lands first . Why? Please help.​

Answer 1

Correct Question

If we take an inflated and deflated balloon and throw them  vertically upwards, the inflated balloon should land first, because it has air and air has mass, but  the deflated one lands first. Why?

Answer

First of all, time required for a body to land on ground is regardless of its mass, that is, mass has no role in determining the time under which the body will land on the ground. This means that if an iron ball and a feather if made to fall in vacuum at the same time, then both will land at the same time. However, practically we have air resistance acting on feather which slows its motion to fall on ground.

Now, if mass has nothing to do with free fall, here inflated balloon and deflated balloon should drop at the same time. However, an inflated balloon has greater volume than the deflated balloon, thus the overall density (mass per unit volume) of inflated balloon decreases. That is, density of deflated balloon is greater than that of inflated one. Thus, air resistance acts more on the inflated balloon than the deflated one. Thus, the inflated balloon lands later and the deflated one faster.