Question: Assume a ship releases a standard hot-air balloon in the waters near the distant buildings shown in the image. Compared with launching in a normal atmosphere with uniform temperature, how will the initial ascent be affected here?
A. Ascent becomes more difficult because the warm air layer above suppresses the balloon downward.
B. Ascent becomes easier because the balloon more readily develops a density difference with the surrounding air.
C. Efficiency of ascent is unchanged because the balloon’s buoyancy depends only on its internal temperature.
D. The ascent is severely disrupted by sea breezes, making its flight path highly unstable.
Clues:
1. A body of water with waves is in the foreground.
2. A dense layer of white fog is situated low over the water.
3. A city skyline is visible in the distance.
4. The fog layer obscures the lower parts of the distant buildings.
5. The upper parts of the buildings are visible above the fog layer.
6. The sky above the fog appears blue with some clouds.
Answer: B
Category: Physics