Weather Balloon Lab

Last updated about 3 hours ago

4 questions

Weather Balloon Lab

Last updated about 3 hours ago

4 questions

You are the leader of a team of atmospheric scientists. Your mission is to explore Earth’s atmosphere using instruments carried into the sky by a balloon. Your instruments will measure altitude, air pressure, and temperature.

Altitude: Height in relation to sea level

Air pressure: Force exerted by air

Temperature: Measure of heat energy

Predict: How will temperature change as altitude increases?

Predict: How will air pressure change as altitude increases?

Open the Virtual Ballooning website and select "Layers of the Earth's Atmosphere."

Part 1: Temperature

You have 4 flights available for your weather balloons. Each flight will record 4 data points. You will set the data points by moving the red "High Sample" and "Low Sample" arrows.

Perform Flight 1 with 15 km as "High Sample" and 0 km as "Low Sample."
Perform Flight 2 with 30 km as "High Sample" and 15 km as "Low Sample."
Perform Flight 3 with 45 km as "High Sample" and 30 km as "Low Sample."
Perform Flight 4 with 60 km as "High Sample" and 45 km as "Low Sample."
You can plot the data points on the blank graph OR take a "snip" of the weather balloon graph and paste it in.

Look for sudden changes in temperature as you rise through the atmosphere.  These changes often indicate a transition, or pause, from layer to the next.  

Based off you data, summarize the changes in each layer of the atmosphere.

Troposphere (lowest): __________
Stratosphere: __________
Mesosphere: __________