October 5, 2011 Teacher Focusing Questions for students:
1. Where is altitude or elevation greatest? Top
2. Where is air pressure greatest? Bottom
3. Where does air have less mass? Top
4. Where are oxygen molecules farther apart? Top
5. Where is the temperature the coldest? Top
6. Where would air seem the heaviest? Bottom
7. Where might a hiker have the most
difficulty breathing? Top
8. If air pressure is constantly pushing
down why doesn’t it crush things
such as a tin can or hollow objects?
Because the air is pushing in all directions and is balancing out.
9. As you move toward sea level, from B to A, what will happen to the air
pressure and the air temperature? The air pressure and temperature will both
increase and become greater.
Math Application… For additional practice with the concepts of altitude and
temperature, have students solve the following math problems.
As altitude increases, temperature decreases. At higher altitudes the air is thinner and
colder than at lower altitudes. The air drops 3º for every 1,000 feet of altitude above sea
level. (This rule is not accurate for altitudes above 40,000 ft)
Calculate the temperature at each altitude given.
Go over the chart to check that students calculated the correct answer.
(answers are rounded)
Temperature
32º
47º
66º
76º
21º
Altitude
1,000 feet
3,300 feet
2,600 feet
39,999 feet
16,900 feet
Temperature @ altitude
29º
37º
58º
-44º
-29º