Editing Inflatable (section)

{{short description|Object filled with pressurized gas to maintain its size and shape}}
{{other uses}}
[[Image:InflatableBalloons.jpg|thumb|[[Balloon]]s are the most common type of inflatable.]]

An '''inflatable'''<ref>{{citation|last = Topham|first = Sean|title = Blow Up: Inflatable Art|publisher = Prestel Verlag|year= 2002|location = [[München]]}}</ref> is an object that can be inflated with a [[gas]], usually with [[air]], but [[hydrogen]], [[helium]], and [[nitrogen]] are also used. One of several advantages of an inflatable is that it can be stored in a small space when not inflated, since inflatables depend on the presence of a gas to maintain their size and shape. Function fulfillment per mass used compared with non-inflatable strategies is a key advantage. Stadium cushions, impact guards, [[Tire|vehicle wheel]] inner tubes, [[Airbag|emergency air bags]], and [[inflatable space habitat]]s employ the inflatable principle. Inflation occurs through several strategies: [[pump]]s, [[ram-air]], blowing, and suction.

Although the term ''inflatable'' can refer to any type of inflatable object, the term is often used in boating to specifically refer to [[inflatable boats]].