Science Investigation: HOT AIR BALLOON
Name of group members:
1.
What is the first step of the Scientific Method? ______________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment:
2.
What is the second step to the Scientific Method? ___________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment:
3.
What is the third step to the Scientific Method? _____________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment:
4.
What is the fourth step to the Scientific Method? ____________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment:
1. Independent Variable _____________________________
2. Dependent Variable ______________________________
3. Constants ______________________________________
4. Procedure
Materials: (6) 20”x30” sheets of tissue paper, glue stick, (3) paper clips, (2) pipe cleaners, pattern sheet, scissors
Procedure:
Step 1.
Lay on piece of tissue paper on a flat surface and make a line of glue one-half inch wide along
one edge of its 30” sides. Take another piece of tissue paper and overlap the line of glue with one
of its 30” sides.
Step 2.
Stack the three sheets on top of one another. Align the corners and sides. Fold the sheets
lengthwise to create a rectangle measuring 15”x39.5”. Once again, align the corners and sides.
Step 3.
Fold the sheets lengthwise again to create a rectangle measuring 7.5”x39.5”.
Step 4.
Using the pattern sheet, align the sheets in alphabetical order, lengthwise. On sheets B,C, and D
trim the excess paper from the sides labeled Edge 2,4, and 6. Throw away the excess paper.
Step 5.
Take sheet B and overlap sheet A until the pattern is lined up. Glue the two sheets together at the
overlap.
Step 6.
Repeat Step 5 to connect sheet C to AB and sheet D to ABC. Cut out the pattern along the lines
on the outside edges of sheets A,B,C,D.
Step 7.
Hold the template and tissue paper firmly and cut the paper around the curved edge.
Step 8.
Remove the paper clips and template. Unfold the gores while keeping them stacked together.
There should be six gores.
Step 9.
Set the stacked gores lengthwise in front of your. Take the top gore and slide it straight up a half
inch. On the gore that was just moved, make a line of glue half an inch wide along the bottom
edge (closest to you).
Step 10.
Beginning at the center of the edge, fold 0.5” of the bottom edge of the second gore up and over
the bottom of the first gore you just glued, fastening the two pieces together.
Step 11.
Fold the top edge of the top gore down to the bottom edge, thus folding it in half without
pressing the crease. Slide the second gore straight down 0.5”.
Step 12.
On the gore you just moved, make a line of glue half an inch wide along the top edge (farthest
from you).
Step 13.
Beginning at the center of the edge, fold 0.5’ of the top edge of the third gore down and over the
top of the second gore, fastening the two pieces together.
Step 14.
Take the seam between the first and second gore and fold it up to the seam between the second
and third gore. Once again, do not press the crease.
Step 15.
Repeat steps 11-14 to fasten the remaining gores to one another. DO NOT fasten Gore 1 and
Gore 6 to one another. For now, leave these two edges free.
Step 16.
Pick up the folded balloon, unfold it, and turn it inside out.
Step 17.
Using the same process as before, glue the remaining two free edges together. There should be
two holes in the balloon. The smaller hole is the top and the bigger hole is the bottom.
Step 18.
Using the excess tissue paper, cut a 6 inch square. Fold the square in half TWICE. Cut an arc that
trims off the free corners, creating a circle.
4
1
2
3
Step 19.
Completely cover the circle with glue. Put on hand inside the balloon through the bottom. With
the other hand, take the circle and press it over the hole at the top.
Step 20.
Take 2 pipe cleaners and connect them together at one end. Place the pipe cleaner around the Hot
Air Balloon launcher to receive an accurate measurement of the circumference. Using the pipe
cleaners, insert them in the bottom of your balloon. Glue the pipe cleaners and balloon to create a
support for the bottom of the balloon.
YOU ARE NOW READY TO FLY!
5.
What is the fifth step to the Scientific Method? _____________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment:
Group
Mass (g)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Create a graph for your data:
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Create a graph for all the class data:
6.
What is the sixth step to the Scientific Method? _____________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment:
7.
What is the seventh step to the Scientific Method? __________________________________________
Hot Air Balloon experiment: