Hot Air Balloon Lab
Table 1: Possible Variables
Background:
Brainstorm possible variables, include as many ideas as
possible.
During class, we have been learning about density
and how mass and volume effect it.
Our assignment is to make a hot air balloon that will
help us understand the density of air and objects and
how they effect each other.
Possible Independent Variables
shape of the balloon
mass of the balloon
volume of balloon
material
Purpose:
The purpose of this experiment is to
determine the effect of the shape of the
balloon (independent variable) on the hang
time of the balloon (dependent variable).
Highlight your top choice from the table
above. Remember, unused independent
variables can be very good controlled
variables (Constants).
Table 2: Variables
Independent (Manipulated) Variable
shape of the balloon
Dependent (Responding) Variable
Choices of the Independent Variable (Range)
mass of the
balloon
shape
volume
Units of the Dependent Variable
Hot Air Balloon Hang time
Seconds
Controlled Variables (Constants)
Impact if they are not controlled
Make sure there is no wind
or the wind might blow the balloon up or down
the glue used
some glue may be too heavy, which will effect the mass
humidity of the air
if the air is humid on one day and not the next, the results may be effected.
Research Question:
How will the shape of the balloon effect the hang time?
Hypothesis:
If the shape of the balloon is a tear drop shape, then it will have a longer hang time than one that isnʼt.
Table 3: Materials Keep it brief, this is not the emphasis of the experiment.
Qty
Size
Item
8 sheets
75 x 50cm
Colored Tissue Paper
1
Glue Stick
1
temperature gun/measurer
1
source of fire
1
Heat tube
1
Stop watch
You might not use all
Procedure:
1. Construct your balloon out of the colored tissue paper and try to have as little holes or overlapping areas
as possible (each balloon shape will have a different way of constructing it)
2. Use the most light-weight glue possible.
3.
4. leave a whole about twelve centimeters in diameter on one side of the balloon (doesnʼt matter which
side)
5. Set the source of fire on a flat open area with a high ceiling, away from trees, grass, paper, or anything
flammable.
6. Put the tube directly over the source of fire so that the heat will travel into the chute
7. Fit the hole on the balloon over the mouth of the chute, hold the paper in place
8. Hold the Hot air balloon firmly as it inflates.
9. Measure the temperature inside the hot air balloon until it gets to 90 C
10.Let it go at 90 C
11. Start the stop watch the second the hot air balloon is let go
12. Wait until the Hot air balloon begins to fall down
13.Stop the stop watch the moment it touches the ground.
14.Record Data and repeat for best results
Data
Table 4: Data of Hot air balloons in seconds
Range 1
( Toby Pritt)
Trial 1
(seconds)
18.92
Range 2
(Singaporean
Chilli Crab )
Range 3
(Angry Bird)
12.33
11.01
Trial 2 (seconds) 12.72
8.00
10.30
Trial 3 (seconds) 14.00
10.00
5.00
Average (graph
these numbers!)
15.21
10.11
8.77
Table 5: Average of Hang times in seconds
Toby Pritt
Average seconds
of hangtime
15.21
Singaporean Chili
Crab
10.11
Angry Bird
8.77
Data (continued) Pictures of Balloon Designs
Include pictures below of the balloons you will be using as a
representative of your independent variable - there may be slight
revisions in your variable when you see all the designs
Name: Toby Pritt
Shape: Tear-drop
Name: singaporean chili crab
Shape: Cube
Name: Angry Bird
Shape: Cube
Data Analysis
Interpret your graph. (This will help you
in your conclusion. Write three things
that you notice about the graph.)
Figure 5: Toby Pritt VS Singaporean Chilli crab
This graph shows that shape does
effect the hang time of the hot air
balloons. Something I noticed in this
graph is that there is a pretty big
difference in the hang time since in this
case, five seconds is pretty long.
Something else I noticed in this graph
is that both cube shapes had a less
hang time than the tear drop shaped
balloon.
16
14.4
15.21
Hangtime (seconds)
12.8
11.2
9.6
10.1
8
8.77
6.4
4.8
3.2
1.6
0
[Independent Variable]
Singaporean Chili crab
Angry bird
Toby Pritt
Conclusion/Discussion
As you continue through the year, the conclusion and discussion will be written in paragraph form.
However, at this point we will break it up into smaller chunks. Answer the following questions in detail. Do
your best to answer all of the questions.
1. What was your hypothesis AND was your hypothesis supported?
My hypothesis was that “If the shape of the hot air balloon was a tear drop shape, then it will have a longer
hang time than one not the same shape.” This hypotheses was supported by the data.
2. Support your answer to the question above with experimental observations. (You must use data! Use
numbers!)
THe shape of a hot air balloon effects the hang time of it because (according to online research) the
teardrop shape is most effective since the hot air will push towards the top since there are no corners in the
structure. Also, if a hot air balloon was shaped as a tube, then it will be more likely to tip over, the shape of a
hot air balloon helps directs the balloon.
Conclusion/Discussion (continued)
3. Explain why you think you got the results you did?
I think Toby Pritt was quite successful because we made sure there were no holes in ours and we tried to
over lap as little as possible. Using the glue sticks also made it easier to make it light weight and still quite
stable
4. Give at least two likely experimental errors (include which specific observation it was, what you think the
error was, and why you think you made that error. “This is what I saw? This is what the error was... This is
why it happened?)
An error I saw was that on the seconds trial, the hot air balloon had tipped over completely (which it did not
do in the first trial). I think the error was that one side was heavier than the other so when there wasnʼt
enough hot air to keep it going in a straight line, it tipped over.
Another error I saw in this experiment was that for some of the other balloons, they did not take off as well
so that effected the data when it was collected since it didnʼt lift off at all.
5. If you did this experiment again, how would you improve this experiment? (explain in detail)
If I could do this experiment again, I would have made my balloon even bigger because my group only used
four pieces of rice paper. If it had been bigger, I think it would have had an even greater hang time! Another
thing I would have done if I could do this again is make sure that the other groups balloon that I am
comparing mine to is about the same size and mass since it is hardly fair to compare a balloon to another
that doesnʼt even work.
6. What further experiment would you want to try? (explain in detail, include a brief picture of the
experimental setup)
I would have liked to see how big a hot air balloon would have to be to lift one gram 10 feet off the floor
when it is attached to the balloon by strings like a real hot air balloon ( Hot air balloon temperature: 90 C)